Investment In Lust

by Rebecca Joanne

  Despite Detective Cloud not wanting coffee, it was unlike me to leave a guest without a choice for something to eat or drink. I stacked three steaming mugs on a tray and grabbed a sleeve of cookies, then took one last look at myself in the stainless-steel refrigerator. I tried to make myself a little more presentable before I went out there.

  Then, I heard something that sounded like a thud.

  I paused, and the lack of voices coming down the hallway had me worried. I didn’t hear anybody talking and the awkward silence was deafening. And given the nature of her prior relationship with Liam, I figured the two of them were having some sort of staring contest. I grabbed the tray and made my way into the living room, expecting to see two people in the throes of angry stares battling it out with their eyes.

  But instead, I saw no one.

  There wasn’t any sign of Liam. And the second I saw Detective Charlotte lying on the floor with her arm underneath her, I froze. The tray in my hands felt heavy as I watched blood drip from a gash on her head onto my floor, but it was the flash of something metallic that forced the tray to the ground.

  My body went numb as hot coffee splashed over my legs. Mugs shattered, and the tray clattered as my eyes panned to my front door. It was hanging open as darkness poured in from the hallway. That same man who had hovered over the detective now sat on my couch with a gun pointed straight at me.

  Droplets of blood were on the handle of his gun, and I felt my heart sink to my toes.

  “Come in here and sit, Miss Wright. Your lover will join us soon enough. But I’m not a patient man, so you better hurry.”

  He motioned with his gun for me to sit down and I moved slowly. Languidly as I tried to force myself to be strong. The room spun and my hands trembled, but I refused to show whoever the fuck this man was any other evidence of fear.

  “What do you want?” I asked as I sat down.

  “Simple. I want Liam to be unhappy,” the man said.

  “Does that require you to wave a gun around in my home?”

  The grin that slid across his cheeks made my stomach roll. I had this flash of the face looking at me through the window of Liam’s bar. That grin. That clean face. Those high cheekbones and that same sinking feeling in my stomach.

  Oh, no.

  That man was sitting in my home.

  “Surprise,” he said with a devious smile.

  He had hard features despite his smile, and the bearing of authority sat strong in his posture. The light brown suit he wore didn’t have one wrinkle. Ironed to perfection and crisp to the naked eye. A man that meticulous about his appearance was as equally meticulous in his actions.

  And that made me nervous.

  I heard him breathing as his finger relaxed against the trigger. I wanted to go to Charlotte’s aid but moving in my precarious position was not smart. Where was Liam? What had happened to him?

  The worst ran through my mind and filled my body with a panic I couldn’t control.

  I had no idea who this man was, but I knew one thing.

  A man with bloodlust in his eyes never hesitated to kill. And I was staring down the business end of his blood-soaked gun.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Liam

  I slipped into the bathroom after passing Philomena in the hallway to take a few more moments to make things right. She did have a few candles on her nightstand, so I moved them into the bathroom before digging into my pocket for the lighter I always kept on me. My father gave it to me for a graduation gift. A tradition in the Walsh family. He had it engraved with both of our initials to remind me of where I came from. To remind me that no matter where I ended up, I always had a home with my family. With my father.

  With Ireland.

  I lit the candles and sat them near the tub before I backtracked to her bed. I threw the covers back and tucked them in before arranging the pillows to cradle our bodies. I wasn’t done cherishing her body. I wasn’t done exploring her curves. I wanted her in the candlelight. I wanted her legs spread in the tub for me. I wanted her mattress creaking and rocking with our movements until she passed out underneath my body.

  I wanted to wake her up the next morning with my tongue between her legs, begging for mercy until her body lost all sense of time and space.

  I took a few steps back to admire my handiwork. I could have done better had I had more time, but it would be good enough. Now all I had to do was get rid of that fucking detective.

  I took one last look at myself in the mirror before I went to button up my shirt. I knew Detective Cloud meant well, but it really pissed me off that she had shown up here to ask questions. Didn’t she have a copy of the police report? I told them to fax one over to her. I walked into the living room as I finished with the last button on my shirt before I heard it.

  The telltale click of one in the chamber.

  “It’s nice of you to finally grace us with your presence.”

  “Detective Harold?” I asked. “What the fuck are you doing?”

  “Do you know how difficult it has been to make you suffer?” he asked.

  For once, I had no response to his question.

  “You?” I asked. “You’re the one who’s doing all this?”

  “You didn’t deserve Charlotte, you know,” he said. “Her light. Her charm. Her unending devotion.”

  He leveled the gun at my chest as he stood to his feet.

  “Where’s Philomena?” I asked.

  “She won’t shut up about you, though. I don’t get it. You aren’t much. But the way she droned on and on about you in the office. How keen she was to take your case. How confident she was she could get you back. It made me sick to think she still pined over a man that didn’t love her. That never could. That wasn’t capable of it.”

  My eyes flickered around the parts of the living room I could see, but Philomena wasn’t there. No one was there, except the two of us.

  “What’s your endgame?” I asked.

  “Simple. Proving myself to Charlotte has been an exhausting ordeal, but I’m pretty sure this will solidify it for me,” Harold said.

  “Killing the man she loves?”

  “No,” he said as he stalked towards me. “Killing the man that took advantage of her before I scoop her into my arms and kiss her tears away.”

  “Sounds like a terrible plan,” I said.

  “You would think that. But then again, you never did have a heart.”

  I took a few steps back until he had me pinned against the wall.

  “I don’t know why you’re taking this so seriously,” I said. “We only dated a couple of months. Then we realized it wasn’t going to work. I can’t be held responsible for the way she feels about me. So, if it’s my blessing you’re after, then I wholeheartedly give you permission to pursue my ex.”

  “I don’t need your blessing,” Harold said as he pressed his gun to my chest. “The only thing that will ever make her look at me with the love I deserve after everything I’ve done for her is to get you out of the picture.”

  “That was a good try, playing the ‘nice guy’ card, though. The tear trail thing? Iconic,” I said.

  A growl resonated from his chest as his trigger finger started to twitch. It was only a matter of time before he put me out of my misery, and I had no plan of action. I had no way to figure out if Philomena was all right or not. Hell, I had no idea of Charlotte was even okay. She told me that woman had been out here. So, where the hell was she?

  Was Charlotte somehow in on this as well? Or was she oblivious to the fact that her partner was a raging psychopath?

  “Have you given any serious thought to the fact that this might just be your problem and not mine?” I asked.

  “Stalling for time isn’t going to get you anywhere,” he said.

  I felt my palms sweating. My heart raced a million times a second. I tapped into my peripheral vision, looking for anything in Philomena’s sprawling apartment I could pick up to defend myself. Because one wrong move with that twitching finge
r of his and I would be nothing but a bloodied imprint against her light gray walls.

  “I’m going to leave you with one thought,” I said. “It seems you’re making me the reason why you can’t make it work with Charlotte. It’s possible she senses something wrong. Charlotte and I had no chemistry in or out of the bedroom, but one thing she did have going for her was how intuitive she was about others. It’s what makes her a great detective.”

  “I know this,” he said. “It’s why I hired her.”

  “Then you know how well she can read people. Maybe she’s kept you at a distance for a reason.”

  I watched him contemplate my words as the barrel of the gun slipped down my body a bit. So, he did respond to rational thought. I never thought I’d be so thankful for all those impromptu therapy sessions in my fucking life, but it seemed his requirement for hiring his expertise was going to be his ultimate downfall. Him mulling over my words gave my eyes time to run over the part of the living room I could see. I kept my eyes peeled for anything that could level the playing field.

  Anything I could reach out for and grasp.

  Detective Harold took a step back from me and scratched the underside of his chin with the tip of it. His eyes closed and his lips began to move, almost as if he was having a discussion with himself. It was obvious the man wasn’t playing with a full deck of cards. He’d completely lost himself in his own little world. Which was the exact opening I needed.

  But when I took a step to move, he switched in an instant. Leveled the gun back at me and snapped his eyes open to hold my gaze.

  “You’re trying to confuse me, but it won’t work. I was going to kill you quickly. Put this dirty business behind me so I could get on with my life with Charlotte. But maybe watching you suffer will help,” he said.

  “Help with what?”

  But before he answered me, he leveled the gun at my leg and pulled the trigger.

  The gunshot rang out, echoing through the walls of Philomena’s home. There was a split second where the pain didn’t register in my mind. Where I looked down at the bullet hole in my thigh and watched the blood seep out without a second thought. A warmth encompassed my body before an agonizing pain left me breathless, and I dropped to my knees, shaking from the shock. Another gunshot rang out before a white-hot pain almost blinded me. Blood dripped from my shoulder onto my shirt, and all I could do was bring my hand up to the wound to try and stop the blood from falling.

  “Put the gun down and put your hands in the air.”

  My eyes panned over to the corner of the room and saw a familiar presence.

  “Now,” Charlotte said.

  I fell against the wall, my body growing weaker by the second.

  “Charlotte. Listen to me. This man, he’s no—”

  “Turn that gun on me and you’ll find out why men at the precinct called me bull’s eye,” she said.

  “You mean those men who stared at you like pieces of meat?” Harold asked.

  “You haven’t killed anyone yet. That’s still in your favor, Harold. You could get out on good behavior and still work towards leading a normal life. We both know an insanity plea will give you time to figure things out,” Charlotte said.

  “The only thing I’m insane with is love for you,” he said. “I love you, Charlotte. I’ve loved you from the moment I hired you on. It shouldn’t hurt this much to love somebody. Let me do this for you. Having him around is a painful reminder for you, and I can’t stand the look of pain in your eyes.”

  My eyes fluttered closed as my head fell against the wall. While he professed his psychopathic undying love for that woman, I saw my own future. Pine box included.

  Where the fuck was Philomena?

  “I don’t feel the same way about you,” Charlotte said. “I know it’s not what you want to hear and trust me. I don’t enjoy loving Liam any more than he enjoyed being with me, apparently.”

  I groaned out in pain as blood pooled underneath my body.

  “I knew you were a good listener, but I never should’ve used you as my backseat therapist. I’ve learned to move on without him, Harold. You helped me with that.”

  “And I can help you with so much more, Charlotte. You’ve made so much progress. And you’ll make that much more progress once he’s gone.”

  “You have only one move to make,” she said. “Please, take it.”

  I saw my life flash before my eyes as my body went limp. And the one thing glaringly obvious was my feelings for Philomena. I saw myself down on my knee. I saw our children. I saw our home. I saw an entire life with her. I saw her graying hair. I saw her wrinkled hand laced with mine as the two of us walked in the park. I saw our wedding day and heard our wedding vows and felt her beautiful body against mine as I professed my love for her on our wedding night.

  “Mena,” I said breathlessly. “Where are you?”

  I bargained with a God I didn’t believe in that if I could stay awake long enough to see Philomena okay, that I’d go. So long as she was safe and unharmed, I’d allow whatever darkness that followed me to drown me in its abyss.

  “See?” Harold asked. “He even calls out for another woman in his death. I don’t know why you still care about him. He brought this on himself, Charlotte.”

  I shook like a leaf with the shock of blood loss as my vision blurred. I didn’t know what was happening any longer. I didn’t know how the hell I was going to get out of this. I heard the handcuffs rattling and sirens off in the distance, but the only thing at the forefront of my mind was Philomena.

  My beautiful, graceful, powerful Mena.

  “You can come out!”

  Charlotte’s booming voice jerked me awake as footsteps stomped along the floor. I felt a warm presence at my side before a soft hand cupped my cheek. It tugged my head to the side before a pair of lips fell onto mine, and instantly my eyes shot open.

  “Mena,” I whispered into her lips.

  “Hold still,” she said as she pulled back. “I have to stop the bleeding.”

  She began digging around in a first aid kit, using pressure bandages to keep me wide awake with the pain radiating through my limbs. I clutched at her arm, refusing to let her go. My eyes danced along her face as she brushed my hair from my forehead, and the only thing I wanted was to tell her how I felt.

  But a cold seeping through my veins rid me of my breath.

  “Why is this always happening to us?” Philomena asked.

  It was a legitimate question, and one I had no answer to. My past mistakes had come back to roost, and the idiotic decisions of the man I used to be haunted us. She deserved an answer. She needed an answer. And I wanted to give her an answer. But the second my eyes traveled along her body and saw she was unharmed, the cold took me under.

  “Liam! No, no, no. Stay awake. Stay awake. Do you hear me, Liam!?”

  I bargained with God, and He held up his end of the deal. So, it was time for me to hold up mine.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Philomena

  Two Months Later

  I heard the harp and tin whistle strike up their serenade as an onrush of emotions poured over me. I didn’t expect to feel them. I didn’t think I’d experience them. But I found my eyes tearing up as the casket was lowered into the ground. The turnout touched me deeply. I hadn’t expected so many to show up and pay their respects to a man they hardly knew. I stuck around long enough to see the pity in their eyes, then I escorted Jasmine back to her car.

  “I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me despite what you’ve been going through,” she said.

  “We only get one father in this lifetime, Jasmine. I consider you family, which made him family,” I said. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “It was his time. The man was almost ninety years old. I always joked that the only way he’d die was if his body forcibly ejected him. I didn’t think it would come in the form of a massive stroke, though.”

  “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Your father lived a good and ful
l life. He raised a strong daughter. Just promise me you’ll take the time off I’m giving you.”

  “I can’t not take it. You threatened to fire me.”

  “And that offer still stands,” I said with a grin.

  I opened her car door and helped her in, then made my way back to the limousine waiting for me. I lifted my black lacy veil and climbed inside, settling next to the warm body waiting for me. I felt Liam slip his arm around my waist and pull me close to him, and for once I fell into him instead of resisting his tug.

  “Losses aren’t easy. I know you didn’t know him well, but it was a nice gesture for you to pay for the funeral.”

  “The instruments were a nice suggestion, by the way,” I said. “Are you sure you’re comfortable? You look like you’re struggling.”

  “Two months of recovery have done me a lot of good.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “Yes, I did,” he said with a grin.

  The driver pulled away from the curb and headed away from the burial site. An entire month without Jasmine would leave my company struggling, but she needed the time off. And if the sudden death of her father and the debacle with Liam had taught me anything, it was that time held precious value to those that didn’t have much of it. I looked over at Liam and watched him shift his weight. Even though the two bullets didn’t hit any vital organs, I could tell he was still in discomfort.

  Casting all thoughts aside, I carefully straddled him as the limousine pulled out onto the main road. Liam whipped his eyes up to meet mine as a grin crossed my cheeks, and it didn’t take much movement to feel his cock rising to life. I slid my hands up his chiseled chest before cupping the sides of his neck, guiding his lips to mine in a slow, sensuous kiss.

  “What was that for?” he asked.

  “If there’s anything the past two months have taught me, it’s that life is too short, and time is too precious to waste.”