by Aliyah Burke
Her dark gaze trailed all over him before returning to his stare. He didn’t move, well aware she could see his hard length pressing against his pants.
“He eats my pussy until I come hard around his tongue and fingers. But he doesn’t stop there—he goes back again until I can’t scream or come anymore. Only then does he undress and push his cock into me.”
Circulation was being cut off and he prayed there wasn’t too much more for her explanation because he didn’t have a lot of patience left.
“Here? In the kitchen?”
She shifted closer to the edge of the countertop. “Yes.” Shai linked her fingers in his belt loops and brought him closer still. “The lineup is perfect. He can fuck me and I can be laid back on the counter.”
“In your clean kitchen?”
“It can be cleaned again after. Right now it needs to be dirtied.”
Slamming his mouth over hers, he nodded in full agreement. He slid her from the counter and held her while he pulled down her pants and underwear, then he put her back there.
“Let’s see if I get this right.” Pulling away from her mouth, he dropped to his knees and began kissing his way up the inside of her left leg to her knee. “Feel free to correct me if I mess up or move too fast,” he said in between kisses.
* * * *
Sweat dripped into her eyes as her breathing wheezed at the exertion she was putting into this. Lungs burning, she struggled to control it all.
I can do this. I can survive this.
When the sadist running the class gave a wicked grin and rose from the seat, Shai wasn’t so positive about that.
“Asses up from the seats, class. Let’s burn some calories and get that tight body you’re willing to pay me to torture out of you. We’ve only just warmed up.”
Even though her body was rebelling, she listened without hesitation. Everyone did. There was no groaning from anyone, no sounds that would indicate, she, or they, didn’t want to do this. One she didn’t have enough air to do that as well as continue to pedal and two, if the instructor thought her class had the air to do so, she’d amp it up further.
Not for the first time since she started coming to Inga’s spin class had she wanted to put a stake in her eye and today wasn’t any exception.
With my luck, though, she’ll just smile and tell me to pick it up a few notches.
It wasn’t right. If you were going to sweat and be this out of breath, one should be indulging in amazing sex. Not spin class where it was a bike seat up your ass, if you were allowed to sit. And that ‘if’ was very suspect.
Pain owned her and she knew this was going to suck later on, but apparently at some point in her life this was what she wanted more of. The burn, the exercise.
Cutting her gaze to where Tara used to sit, she frowned at her sister’s absence. This bothered her—while part of her understood that Tara was back with her husband now, she couldn’t ignore that she was very bitter about not having shared that with them all.
Anger pushed more energy into her and she stomped on the pedals.
“Look at you go, Shai. Work it out, girl. Work. It. Out.”
When she met Inga’s gaze, the woman smiled and she found the energy within her to return it.
Another fifteen minutes and they were all seated for the cool-down. Once class finished, she took a shower and dressed, stuffing her workout clothing into the bag to take home and wash. Strap on the shoulder, and she headed to the door.
Her steps slowed as she exited the building and scanned the lot for the police car that was supposed to follow her back and forth. She had a rental for the moment as she had yet to purchase another car. Staring at her keys, she wondered if someone had placed another bomb in this one.
Christ. I’m going crazy. She shook her head and lifted her chin.
Damn it all, she was a Monroe and they didn’t scare. She had to believe they were doing their job, or she’d never leave the house again.
At the rental, she unlocked the door and tossed her bag in the back before climbing in. Belt buckled, she slid the key in the ignition and hesitated before turning it on. When she realized her eyes were scrunched tight, she pried them open.
Guess I’m not dying today. At least not yet.
She headed home, wishing at a point, okay, so most of the trip, that Sav would be there. But she knew he had to work today. She constantly checked her mirrors and found a dark SUV following her at a distance.
I’m fucking losing it. They may not even be following me but I’m heading home.
The pep talk didn’t work because they maintained that perfect distance behind her. When she sped up, so did they. Panic settled into the very marrow of her bones and she began to hyperventilate. Shaking it off the best she could, she focused on driving and not ruining on someone else’s day aside from her own.
There wasn’t any sign of the police.
Maybe they are the ones in the SUV.
Her chest hurt and she pulled off into a large, busy parking lot and put the vehicle in park. Hands on the wheel, she took huge gulping breaths, trying to calm down. It wasn’t working.
Christ, I’m giving myself a panic attack. I can’t live this way.
Anger replaced the growing panic and she shut off the engine before climbing out. Sure enough, the SUV had pulled in and was parked a way off, but she knew it was the same one. Knew it.
Stubbornness and determination stamped all over her soul, she pivoted in that direction and strode toward it. I’ll get my answers one way or another.
She had gotten through three rows of cars when her phone rang. Scowling, she dug for it and put it up to her ear.
“Yes?”
“Stop.”
Detective Savvas’ voice was harsh and unyielding.
She didn’t even think of disobeying him. “What?”
“Right now. Stop and head back to your car. You can’t approach the ones who are supposed to be keeping you safe.”
She turned a full circle, searching for his Acadia.
“I’m not there, stop looking for me. They called me and told me you were on a beeline for them.”
She huffed and angled back to the nearest of the buildings around her. “You should let me know if someone is following me.”
“Someone is always following you, Shai. We’re trying to keep you safe. And you confronting someone who you think is following you isn’t going to accomplish that.”
“I wasn’t looking for you.”
His chuckle warmed her and banished the anger and fear she’d experienced. “Yes you were. I’m sure you turned a full circle.”
“You’re sniffing glue.”
“And you’re still looking for me. I’ll be home later. I have a few more leads to run down for this case. Please, go home and wait for me there. Don’t stress about anything okay? We’ve got this.” He hung up the call.
All she could focus on was the way he’d said home. Like her place wasn’t solely hers, but theirs. Something she could live with.
Inside the store, she walked around until she paused and smelled popcorn. That’s what she wanted. Using her nose as the guide, she found her way a few stores down to the one that sold popcorn.
Her stomach growled as she entered. Taking her time, she allowed herself to enjoy some samples and after about twenty minutes she left with a few different types. Tonight she was going to watch a movie and eat some popcorn.
On the way home, she made a few more stops and it was getting dark when she pulled into the garage. As she was in the middle of unloading her car, she heard him pull in. Her heartbeat kicked up a few notches and she found herself grinning like a school girl before a crush walked into sight. Giddy with the knowledge of what was coming.
She pushed through the garage door as he was just inside and their gazes met. He cocked an eyebrow as he strode to her and relieved her of the packages.
“Buy out the store?” he teased.
“Not all of them, just the lingerie store.” Her dea
dpanned response got the reaction she was hoping for.
He almost dropped the items he held. She blinked and held his gaze.
“Not nice.”
“To the bedroom please.”
His grin did wicked things to her pussy.
“Bedroom. If that is mine, does it mean I get a fashion show of what was purchased?”
“Nope.” She turned her back on him, partly to keep him from seeing the smile and partly to keep him from seeing how much her own body reacted to him when he looked at her that way. “Dinner is ready when you are. We’re eating from Mordo’s.”
She ducked back out to get the rest of her items, including the necessary popcorn for later.
As she ducked into her car once more, she could hear him muttering.
“Tells me she buys out a lingerie store then casually mentions dinner like I give a damn about anything other than the scraps of material in these damn boxes.”
This is going to be fun.
Chapter Eight
“I’m heading up Seventh, Lopez, we’ll cut him off!”
Sav yanked hard on the wheel, car skidding against the asphalt before he gave in and listened to the directional he’d been given. Sirens and lights flashed as the car shimmied and shook. With a quick glance to the rearview, he spied three uniforms behind him in their own vehicles, doing their best to keep up with him.
He was pushing it. Hard.
But he wanted to catch this fucker for two reasons. One, bastard beat and killed homeless men for fun and two, this call had come after he had just about been ready to figure out what one of the outfits Shai had purchased today looked like. So his lust for that woman had been put on hold and it was segued into determination to catch this asshole.
The narrow alley whizzed by as he shot up through it, needing to cut off some time. One car remained behind him. The other two continued on the straight shot up Seventh.
“Shots fired, shots fired!” Lopez yelled into the radio.
Squinting his eyes, Sav punched the accelerator and shot forward, narrowly missing a trash can sitting along the brick wall, minding its own business. He flew through cross streets, as he continued on to the final destination, pulling away from the marked car behind him.
Squealing to a halt, he jacked on the wheel once more, putting the Crown Vic at an angle to make it harder for him to get through, then hopped out. Making sure he wouldn’t be broadsided by any of the other cops showing up on the scene, he shared a nod with Lopez as he, too, got there.
“I thought you were driving him?”
“Left that for the uniforms. I don’t want to be behind this fucker when we get him.”
“I understand.” And he did—they’d been after this guy for two months now and it had been nothing but dead end after dead end. The public wasn’t happy, well, some were because they figured it was a way to deal with the homeless issue, but as a whole, they weren’t. And when the masses weren’t happy, neither was the mayor. When that happened, his boss wasn’t and, by association, neither was he.
“He bailed! He bailed from the moving vehicle. Car’s still coming but he’s not in it. Repeat, car is inbound, but the suspect has vacated. He’s running into a building.”
“Fuck!”
“Let’s move,” Lopez barked at the same time as his expletive.
They ran up the street and as his feet pounded pavement, he prayed that someone stopped that car.
“Eyes? Who’s got eyes on him?” he yelled.
The men and women with him didn’t respond and his anger and frustration grew.
“The green and yellow building, I just saw him run in there,” one woman announced over the radio.
Green and yellow. It was fucking near midnight and the lighting in the alley sucked big hairy balls, but sure, he should have no problem finding the yellow and green building. Yeah right.
The city really needs to replace these light bulbs.
“This one looks yellow and green,” Lopez said. “In a manner of speaking.”
“Let’s go.”
“Coming in,” the man announced as they pried open one of the back doors and entered. They left a pair of officers there to make sure the man didn’t come down and sneak out.
So many doors and storerooms down here but they checked each one with meticulous care. Then they went up.
Sav left Lopez on the first floor and went to the second. More of the same, numerous doors and there was no ignoring the multitude of signs of vagrancy in here. Food containers, torn blankets, shopping carts with people’s possessions.
Fucking perfect hunting ground for him if this was where he selected his victims.
The one thing he wasn’t seeing—people. Flashlight cutting through the swath of darkness, he continued on. Some of the rooms didn’t even have doors and some of them had holes in the walls leading to the next space.
A warning skated up his spine as he went through one of the large holes and he spun to his left just in time to see the large piece of wood swinging at him.
“Fuck.”
He tossed up his arm in instinctive defense and bit back another litany of curses when the wood hit him with considerable force. The flashlight flew out of his hand to skitter along the floor, the sole point of light now across the room and pointing askew. His gun went somewhere else. Not good.
Without warning, he lunged in the direction he’d seen the large shadow and grunted as he hit him.
“Police! Stay down!”
The body beneath him heaved, almost succeeding in throwing him off. A few good punches were landed on both sides.
Still only works in the movies because this guy didn’t listen at all.
Using his good arm, he clipped the assailant in the face and breathed a bit easier when he seemed to sink into unconsciousness. However, as he couldn’t quite see if he was faking or not, Sav wasn’t taking any chances. It wasn’t easy and he swore his arm had been fractured by that blow, but he rolled him, cuffed him, then went to retrieve his items.
Lopez and some others showed up not much later. As the uniforms were taking the man down to a waiting car, Lopez held out a hand to stop him.
“You know you need to get your arm checked out.”
“I will. I have to finish up the paperwork on this one, first.”
The man cocked a brow at him. “And here I thought you’d be chomping at the bit to get back to your woman.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What is your deal with her? Did she do something to you at one point other than make you breakfast that I’m unaware of?”
“I don’t like people who feel they are entitled is all. And I thanked her for the breakfast.”
He drew back as if Lopez had hit him in the face. “Entitled?”
The man spat on the floor, his mustache twitching. “Yes. She was supposed to be in a safe house. But she wanted to be at home so there she is and we’re using up valuable resources to keep her safe when you can’t be hovering over her. Not like you’re not always thinking about her when you’re not there anyway.”
“Bitter much?” Sav wanted to hit him. “Let me tell you why she’s back at her house. The lieutenant gave her the option, it wasn’t her whining about it and using a so-called entitlement you think she has. She doesn’t want anyone else in her family to be hurt because this fuck can’t find her, so when the offer was there, she took it. She sure as hell doesn’t want me at her house but as I was the one who stipulated that, she went with it.”
He shoved his gun back into the holster. “So before you think you know all of what is going on about a woman who is the target of some sick fuck, maybe you should get all your information straight. She’s not entitled and she doesn’t want us around her. What is your issue with all of this? We have a lot of people in this city who are entitled and use that to their advantage when they have run-ins with us. Not her. In fact, not this family. They downplay that a daughter is an ADA. Sounds to me like you’re just jealous you’re not the one at her place, is that it?
You have a thing for her and she keeps shooting you down?”
Bastard better give a negative on that or I will fucking slug him.
“I didn’t know all that.”
“Exactly. Keep your assumptions like that to yourself.” He walked out of the room and headed for the outside, blood boiling.
Since his car had been the one to stop the driverless one, he caught a ride with an ambulance to the hospital to get checked out. After that, he snagged a ride with a uniform who had dropped just someone off back to the station so he could do his paperwork.
Lopez looked at him when he walked in, arm in a sling, but didn’t say a word. Neither did he.
It was four in the morning before he shut down his computer and wheeled back from his desk. Rolling his head on his neck, he reached for his coat.
“Savvas! My office.”
“Of course,” he mumbled before allowing his hand to fall away from the leather.
“Close the door,” the order came the moment he stepped through the door.
“What can I do for you, Lieutenant?”
The man gestured to the chair. “Sit down, we have a lot to discuss.”
So much for heading to bed or even seeing Shai this morning. Without a word, he lowered himself to the waiting seat.
* * * *
“We need to talk.”
Shai blinked at her father before swinging the door open to give him access. Shock one was that he’d used the doorbell when he arrived instead of his key. Shock two, the hour he was there, and shock three, he’d come without his wife, her mother.
“Morning, Daddy.”
She was closest to him out of the three girls. She’d always been a daddy’s girl.
He leaned in and kissed her cheek before stepping all the way in so she could close the door.
“Everything okay? You’re here early and you used the doorbell.”
“Where’s this man of yours?”
That threw her completely. Blinking a few times, she ran his question over in her mind.
“You mean Detective Savvas?” Her father crossed his arms and leveled that “parent” look at her. “He left some time last night when he got a call. I haven’t seen him since.” She walked to the kitchen where she was making pancakes.