The nurse entered Collier’s room. According to the video, she stayed for exactly four minutes before exiting and leaving in the opposite direction of the camera.
Bella pulled the disc out of the player and put it to the side. She wasn’t at all surprised that it only took four minutes to kill Collier. He was, after all, immobile. She slid in another disc, which was footage from the camera at the opposite end of the hall.
Bella barely blinked as she stared at the screen, looking for a good image of the woman who had entered Collier’s room. Once she found the only workable image, she pulled it from the DVD player and put it with the other CD. Bella leaned over and grabbed the office phone. She dialed the inter-department number for the video tech.
“Tech services. This is Bruce.”
“Bruce, it’s Bella Devereaux. How are you?”
Bella could hear Bruce blow out a frustrated breath through the receiver. He clearly wasn’t happy to hear from her. Bruce had started out courteous and helpful until Bella turned him down after he invited her to dinner.
“What can I do for you, Detective?” he asked in a bored tone.
“I caught a case with video. Can you see if you can clean it up for me?”
“I got a few jobs ahead of you. I don’t know when I’ll be able to get to you.”
Lies!
Bella was no fool. She knew that Bruce wasn’t doing shit in that office but eating and watching porn on his phone. “Bruce, this case is involving the man who shot Taylor Montgomery. It takes precedence.”
“Says who?” he asked arrogantly.
Bella groaned. Bruce was behaving like a child. Why couldn’t he just do his fucking job?
“I’ll tell you what, Bruce. I’ll just call the governor and tell him that you said fuck his fiancée.”
“Send it over!” Bruce snapped before hanging up on Bella.
Bella placed the phone on the receiver and shook her head. Taylor was a fellow police officer. She shouldn’t have had to drop the governor’s name to get Bruce to do his job. It’s a damn shame.
Men!
They were nothing but big-ass male babies.
CHAPTER EIGHT
VICTOR
Victor placed a glass of red wine down on the table next to Taylor’s plate. They were sitting down for dinner. But dinner wasn’t exactly festive. It hadn’t been since Rosemary had invaded their lives. For an entire week, the tension between him and Taylor could’ve been cut with a chainsaw. He had tried many times to convince Taylor that he wasn’t in love with Rosemary. Taylor always said that she believed him, but things just weren’t the same. Victor placed his own wineglass on the table and sat in the chair next to Taylor. He grabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips. “We need to talk,” Victor told her.
Although Taylor hadn’t been very talkative as of late, Victor was determined to make things right with his woman.
Taylor turned in his direction. She looked tired like she hadn’t been sleeping, which meant that she was lying next to him pretending to be asleep,
“Not now, Victor.” Taylor sighed. “I know that we have to talk, but can we do it later?”
The sad and worried look in her eyes broke Victor’s heart. He had vowed to himself and to Taylor that he would never hurt her. Even though he’d had no hand in Rosemary’s decision to fake her death nor her return, Victor still felt responsible for the fact that Taylor was in pain.
“Alright, sweetheart. We can talk later,” he conceded.
He didn’t want to add to Taylor’s stress so he finished his meal in silence. When he was done, he walked into Taylor’s kitchen and put his plate and fork in the dishwasher.
“I’m going to bed,” he called out from the kitchen.
When Taylor didn’t answer, he went into the bedroom and pulled a pair of boxers out of the drawer that she’d assigned him. Frustrated and on the verge of anger, Victor walked across the room and plopped down on the bed. He groaned out loud and dropped his face in his hands. Victor simply didn’t know what else to do or say to convince Taylor that he was dangerously in love with her and he had no intention of navigating life without her.
Victor stood and walked into the master bathroom. In the shower, he would figure out a way to convince Taylor that everything was going to be okay.
TAYLOR
Victor walked out of the bathroom just as Taylor entered her bedroom. She paused at the sight of him. He was so beautifully masculine. He was still a bit wet with a towel wrapped around his waist. Little beads of water dripped down his muscular torso to the V that disappeared into his towel. His wet, dark hair was slicked back, exposing even more of his handsome face.
Maybe she wasn’t being rational, but the thought of losing the man she loved so very much was ripping her apart from the inside. Taylor’s head fell. Her entire body tensed up when Victor crossed the room in three giant steps and grabbed her by her shoulders.
“Taylor, sweetheart, you’re killing me,” he whispered painfully. “I love you so much, baby.”
Without looking at him, Taylor whispered, “I know you do, Victor.”
Victor gently squeezed her shoulders. “Look at me,” he prompted. When Taylor didn’t respond, his voice became more forceful. “Look at me, Taylor!”
Taylor tore her eyes away from his chest and reluctantly, look into his eyes.
“Have I ever lied to you?”
“No,” Taylor responded with a weak voice.
“Ever? Even once?” Victor prodded.
“No,” Taylor said, shaking her head.
“Then why don’t you trust me?”
Taylor could see the pain in his eyes. His voice was filled with agony. Suddenly, not trusting Victor seemed like a betrayal. “I do trust you, Victor.” Taylor sighed.
“Then why have you turned away from me? You’ve denied me the affection that I need from the woman I love. I didn’t do this, babe.”
Tears welled up in Taylor’s eyes. Victor was right. He didn’t create the situation. And he was just as affected, if not more, by Rosemary’s return.
“I’m sorry,” Taylor whimpered. “I’m so sorry. I know it’s not your fault.”
Victor pulled Taylor into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her hands on his broad back. Her fingers dipped into sinewy muscles as they slid across his back.
“Don’t you wanna marry me, sweetheart? Don’t you wanna be my wife?”
“Yes, baby. Of course, I want to marry you. I love you,” Taylor professed.
“That’s good because you already said yes, and I have no plans on letting you change your mind.”
Taylor’s head relaxed against his wide chest and inhaled his fresh scent. He rubbed her back gently as he held her tight. The sound of his heartbeat coordinated with the beat of hers.
“Victor, bae, I was just feeling insecure,” Taylor admitted.
Victor eased her off of his chest and cupped her face in his hands. He forced her to look up at him and into his beautiful green eyes.
“Hear me, Taylor. There is no woman that has ever walked the face of this earth that should cause you to be insecure. There isn’t a word in any language that could describe what you mean to me. I fucking love you. And I ain’t livin’ without you.”
Speechless from his declaration, Taylor smiled and nodded her head. Victor pulled her face to his and pressed his lips to hers. Taylor tightened her grip on his back and moaned when Victor slipped his tongue between her lips and deepened the kiss. As they made love with their mouths, Victor removed his hands from Taylor’s face and wrapped his arm around her waist. With his other hand, he cupped her butt and lifted her off of her feet. Taylor wrapped her legs around Victor’s waist and pushed her eager center against his hard dick. She rubbed against him, causing his towel to fall to the floor. Knowing that Victor was in his beautifully naked glory, pushed Taylor to the brink of frenzy. She loved Victor, needed him. She needed to feel his love from the inside out. Taylor held on tight as Victor carried her across
the room. He placed her on the bed and undressed her slowly. Reverently, Victor worshiped her entire body for most of the night.
CHAPTER NINE
BELLA
Bella pulled to the curb in front of Kara Edward’s house. It was 3:45 in the afternoon and Bella hadn’t heard a word from her. She’d tried several times to reach her by phone, but she was unsuccessful. The woman had a knack for blowing Bella off. A squad car occupied by two uniformed officers pulled behind her. She stepped out of her unmarked Chevy and walked toward Kara’s townhouse. She had been able to secure the warrant for her arrest based on Kara’s cell phone records, a combination of her own false statements, and hearsay statements from a confidential informant—Rosemary.
With the uniformed officers behind her, Bella jogged up the steps. As she reached the landing, Bella could see that one of the French doors was open. She and the officers shared a look before approaching the door. Bella knocked hard and called out Kara’s name. When there was no answer, she stepped inside the townhouse. She eased her .45 out of its holster and began to search the house. One of the officers veered toward the living room. The other headed up the stairs. Bella crept, weapon drawn, down the main hall. She took quiet, careful steps to the kitchen where she found nothing. Then she turned and headed back down the hall. There were two closed doors. She slowly opened the first door. It was the hall closet. Bella cleared it, closed it, and walked toward the second door. Since she’d been at the house the day before, Bella knew that room to be Kara’s office. Still holding her pistol, Bella turned the knob and stepped inside Kara’s office.
The search for Kara was over.
Bella gasped in horror at the gruesome scene. She inhaled a deep breath and blew it out while struggling to hold on to her lunch. The carnage before her was ungodly. It was an absolute bloodbath. There was blood covering almost every inch of the office. Kara’s bloody body was lying on the desk. She would’ve been facing the ceiling if she’d had a head. Her head had been completely severed from her body and placed on top of her stomach. It had been positioned to face whoever entered the room.
“Oh, shit!” exclaimed one of the officers behind her.
Bella groaned and pulled her radio out of her back pocket. She placed it to her mouth and pressed the key. “5813,” she announced into the radio.
“Go ahead, 5813,” the dispatcher prompted.
“Oh, my God,” mumbled the other officer as he did the sign of the cross.
Bella turned from the officer and spoke into the radio. “Squad, I got 110 at 1301 North State Parkway.”
“5813, do you need me to roll you an ambulance just to be sure?”
“There is no need for an ambulance, squad. Please notify the coroner, the crime lab, and my supervisor. I believe her beat number is 5810.”
“10-4, 5813. You okay? You need backup?” the dispatcher asked.
“Naw, I got a beat car on scene. But can you roll me a couple of cars to secure the crime scene.”
“10-4, 5813. Stand by.”
Bella stuffed the radio back inside her pocket and looked up to the ceiling.
“Fuck!” she shouted, furious that she’d just caught another goddamned homicide.
****
After several calls, Bella was finally able to get in contact with Taylor. She was hoping that Taylor was home, but of course, she wasn’t. So, Bella found herself riding the elevator to Victor’s apartment in Storm Tower. It had been a week since she’d seen Victor’s brother and she didn’t feel like fighting with her feminine parts like she always did whenever he was near.
For the life of her, Bella couldn’t understand why her blood heated, her skin tingled, and her pussy throbbed every time Lucas was in the room. The last time he was near, her nipples stayed hard from the warmth of his suggestive gaze.
Bella took a breath and wiped all thoughts of Lucas Creed from her head. Truthfully, folks were dropping like flies around her. She had too much shit to do to be worried about a man who she had no possible future with.
“Hello, Detective,” Gregor greeted.
“Hello. Taylor and the governor are expecting me.”
“I’m aware of that, Detective. I need to hold your weapon.”
“Ugh!” Bella grumbled, rolling her eyes. “Look, dude, Governor Creed has already allowed me to keep my weapon in his presence before.”
“Yes, but, that was before we had a discussion that culminated in the governor allowing me to do my job. Now, you are more than welcome to enter, but not with a weapon.”
“Look, Gregor. Your name is Gregor, right?”
“It is,” Gregor responded with a nod.
“Well, Gregor, I’m on duty. It’s my right to hold on to my weapon.”
“You do have the right to bear arms, but not here. Let me ask you a question, Bella. It is Bella, right.”
Awe, okay.
“Yes, my name is Bella.”
“When you go to court and you’re on duty, are you allowed take your weapon inside the courtroom?”
Bella knew exactly where he was going with the question. “No,” she admitted.
“Well, this is the home of the governor of Illinois, and you will show him the same respect. Now, I need your weapon.”
The giant had a point, and Bella didn’t have time to stand in the hall and argue with him. She pulled her .45 out of the holster and handed it to him by the handle. She moved to step inside, but his large body blocked the doorway.
“What?” Bella breathed.
“Your backup gun too.”
Bella rolled her eyes and bent down to pull her .38 out of her ankle holster. She huffed and handed him her backup piece.
“Thank you, Detective. I really appreciate your cooperation.”
“Yeah, yeah… Can I go inside now?”
“Of course. Taylor and the governor are waiting in the den.”
Bella stepped inside once Gregor removed himself from her path. She walked through the large apartment and inhaled the scent of lavender, vanilla, and money. Taylor had hit the jackpot with the governor. He was smart, rich, and fine as fuck. But, for that matter, so was his brother. Lucas was all those things, and Bella was avoiding him. And she would continue to do so. Men like Lucas had everything; looks, charm, education, and revenue. They were accustomed to getting anything that they wanted, especially women. It was Bella’s belief that when a man could have any woman he wanted, he would seldom cherish them once he conquered them. With Victor, Taylor had just gotten lucky. Bella wasn’t that lucky, and she wasn’t about to be some rich playboy’s booty call.
Bella rounded the corner and continued down the hall. The door to the den was open, so she walked in. Neither Taylor nor Victor noticed that she had entered the room. They were at the bar. Taylor was sitting on a stool and Victor was standing between her legs. They were kissing. Taylor was giggling between kisses. They were really enjoying each other’s company. They seemed very much in love.
Bella smiled. Victor and Taylor had obviously worked out their issues regarding the return of Rosemary. Bella was glad to see Taylor happy again. Unfortunately, there was business that needed to be tended to. Bella cleared her throat to get their attention.
“Hey, Bella. What’s up?” Taylor called, still smiling.
“Hey,” Bella greeted as she approached the bar.
Taylor narrowed her eyes as if she were trying to gauge Bella’s demeanor. Victor stepped from between Taylor’s legs and adjusted his slacks. Bella did her best not to notice the large, almost intimidating bulge between his thighs. She tried hard not to look…unsuccessfully. Taylor tilted her head and frowned at Bella.
“Sorry,” Bella mouthed when Victor turned to walk behind the bar.
Bella had apologized, but one would have to be Helen Keller not to have noticed that the governor had a big-ass dick.
“What do you want, Bella?” Taylor asked impatiently.
Bella cleared her throat. “I need to know where the two of you were between 9 o’clock last
night and 3:45 this afternoon.”
Taylor hopped down from the stool and walked toward Bella. “Why?”
“I just need you both to answer the question.”
Taylor walked over to the sofa and sat. Bella watched her eyes to see if she was preparing a lie. But the truth was, if Taylor did lie, Bella would’ve looked the other way. After all, Kara did try to have her killed. Bella was not there to crucify her friend, but she did need answers.
“Well, last night we were both at my house. You can check with Victor’s security detail. And this morning, around 8, I was at the medical section in headquarters to see about getting reinstated to work. You know I’ve been off since I got shot.”
Bella nodded and turned to Victor. “Well, Taylor just told you where I was last night. And as far as this morning, pick up a newspaper. Reporters have been following me around all day, asking questions about this new beverage tax.”
“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to tell you that that tax is some bullshit,” Bella scoffed.
Taylor chuckled. “Bae, Bella’s addicted to Pepsi.”
“That shit’ll kill you,” Victor quipped, just before lifting a sifter of cognac to his lips.
Bella shook her head and laughed.
“What’s this about, Bella?” Taylor asked.
Bella walked over to the bar where Victor was standing. “Hook a sistah up,” she said with a nod toward the cognac.
Victor pulled a glass and poured Bella a drink. She could tell that he was surprised since she’d always turned down offerings of alcohol in the past. “I went to question Kara,” Bella told them.
“Oh, and what did that bitch have to say?” Taylor asked with a scowl.
“Well, the first time I questioned her, she said that she only knew Collier from work. She said that she didn’t speak to him the day you were shot or the day he was murdered. I told her that her phone records indicated otherwise. Then blah, blah, blah… She wanted a lawyer. She was supposed to come in this morning, but she didn’t show. So, I went out there.” Bella took a generous sip of cognac.
Creed 2: Black Widow Page 5