by Mimi Barbour
Kai laughed and unwound. “Sounds like a character. He live on the streets?”
“Used to, until Aurora stepped in. She found him a place to live, and he found a job. Not one she approves of, but it’s actually worked out in our favor. A Polack, called Big Mike, owns the Hangout, the bar where Luke works. He treats the kid pretty good. Of course the severe warning Aurora had us pass on might have helped some.”
“Don’t tell me.” Kai got it. “It’s a hang-out for some of Las Vegas’s upper crust.”
“My arse, upper crust. We’re talking wealthy. Way past the upper crust level. These dudes are rich bastards and stink to high heaven from the drugs they’ve sold to get there. Not to mention the rest of their dirty baggage.”
Kai’s interest spiked. “This Luke have any news on Rhondo?”
“I have no doubt that’s what our little missy is finding out right—” His cell’s buzzing broke off the rest of what he had to say.
“Hampton. Speak.”
Kai watched the grin disappear under a black cloud. Oh-oh! He knew he wasn’t gonna like this news.
Ham slammed the phone down, and as he flew from his chair, it smashed back against the already well-marked wall. “Shots were fired at Luke’s address.”
Damned if he wasn’t right.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“I’m sorry, Rory. I didn’t know.”
“Shut up, Ray. She can’t hear you.” Disgust rang through Luke’s worry. “Did you call the number I told you to?”
“Yeah, they’re on their way. This is all my fault,” Ray whimpered.
“Well, you shoulda known something was wrong when you saw my open door. I never leave it unlocked.” Luke’s voice cracked under the stress of his emotions.
“I didn’t think, Luke. Rory’s car was in the lot outside my window, and I figured if she was here, you know, everything would be okay.”
“They were okay until you busted in. Hurry up with the tape. You sure she’s breathing?”
“She’s breathing, just out cold. That asshole really whacked her a good one. My shoulder is still stinging where he threw me back against the doorjamb. It could be dislocated.”
“Quit your fucking whining. You gave him the opportunity he needed to get away. She had him. Jesus man, get me loose.”
Aurora heard the squabbling, but it sounded as if it came from underwater. Her head hurt so bad that the thought of pain pills turned her on more than a chocolate sundae smothered with whipped cream.
Talking was out of the question, so she moaned her request for quiet. It worked for a few seconds, until Luke lean over her and pushed her hair aside to view the wound. Gently, he straightened out her head, and she wanted more than anything in the world, to sink away from the excruciating pain.
As if his inner battery had to wear down, Ray’s yapping wouldn’t stop, “I saw her head hit the bed frame. No wonder she’s unconscious. I didn’t mean to knock against her. He threw me, and I couldn’t stop. Good thing when her gun went off, she didn’t shoot me.”
“Can you shut up? Can you just do that?”
Good boy, Luke. Please get him to stop before I shoot him. My head…
Footsteps heralded company, and the thud warned of a heavy body. Rhondo’s back!?
Kai’s clipped voice sounded close.
“Police! Step away from the body. Lie on the ground and put your hands on your heads. Now! Do it!”
No. Not Rhondo… worse!
Chapter Twenty-Five
It was around midnight when he brought Aurora home, after she refused to remain overnight at the hospital. Since none of their arguments had worked, an ultimatum was issued. Either Kai stayed with her, she stayed with him, or they’d find her a bed on the busy ward.
“I’m fine, Kai. Even the doctor said he didn’t think I had a concussion. I never really passed out, things just got fuzzy for a while.”
What she didn’t say was that the pain had rescinded once she’d doubled up on the magic pills from the doctor’s prescription. Mind you she felt a bit out of it, actually woozy. Like she’d drunk too much wine but without the fun of losing her inhibitions that normally came with the alcohol.
Feeling shy, she plumped her bright red, hand-made throw pillows and covertly rubbed the water stain off the glass coffee table. Then she grabbed the vase of dead daisies and headed for the kitchen. It had been days since she’d had the time to tidy her place, and the neglect showed.
Shy, and determined not to show it, she said, “The pizza’s still hot, and the mushrooms and cheese smell delicious. Do you want to plate it, and I’ll get us something to drink. Coke for me, but I have beer if you’d like.”
“Sure, I’ll have one. Where do you keep your dishes?” Kai stepped into the kitchen’s small space and looked bewildered.
“Over the dishwasher. The glasses are next to them if you want one. I never use a glass, but some people prefer it, so I always ask.” Shut off the blabber—he’s going to think you’re losing it.
“I don’t use ‘em either. How much do you want to eat?”
“Just a small plate. My appetite’s gone.”
A distinctive sound had her looking up at him.
“Stop worrying. It’s not the injury. I never eat much when I’m on a big case.”
Her hand automatically worked at the small bandage over her left ear. Again she fumed that the idiot doctor had shaved off so much of her hair.
Kai stepped into her space and lowered her hand. “It’s hardly noticeable, and it’ll grow back. It’s kind of girlie—you so worried about your hair.”
“Fuck you!”
“Now, there’s our sweet little Aurora. I missed you.”
She laughed and noticed that he relaxed his shoulders. It hadn’t dawned on her that he might be fretting over her being injured. But instantly, she realized something. Ever since he’d found her, he’d behaved like a worrywart, concerned about her comfort, and constantly watching her for signs of affliction. Something soft began to ease through tight controls she kept in place.
Logic told her she needed to keep the barriers up, save herself from the heartache he foreshadowed. Loving this man would be a foolish, really stupid move, and not being a stupid or foolish woman, she knew it.
They carried their drinks and pizza into the cozy family room and sat together on the beige leather sofa. Automatically, she put her bare feet onto the low table, and her gold ankle bracelet tinkled against the glass. She saw his gaze follow the sound, and he stared at her feet, all pink nail polish and toe rings. Wearing fancy boots hid this habit from most, and knowing he saw this feminine side of her escalated her own awareness to his masculinity.
She reached for the remote at the same time as his fingers grabbed for the item. Her quick withdrawal ramped up the tension between them—had him quizzically holding the plastic toy toward her. “Sorry. It’s a man thing,”
“No. It’s fine. Go for it.” She picked up the pizza and shoved it in her mouth to prove she didn’t want damn control. The food titillated her taste buds, and it dawned on her, she was starving.
He flipped on the news channel and then took a bite from the savoury slice in front of him. “Mumm. Good pizza! I love this stuff.”
“My favorite gourmet meal.” She grinned at him. His reaching fingers wiping at the sauce on the corner of her lips didn’t faze her whatsoever. At ease for the first time in his company, she let down her guard.
“This is an all-points bulletin! If anyone sees this man, Earl Rhondo, please get in touch with Crime Stoppers or the local detachment of the LVMPD. Consider him armed and dangerous. Detective Aurora Morelli, with the Las Vegas police, was brutally attacked today in the commission of her duties. She saved the lives of two youths—”
“Hey, why’d you turn it off?” Kai, wearing a frown, leaned toward her.
“Same reason you would. It’s all blah, blah. You can’t explain reality in a three-minute sound bite. The truth was that I thought Luke had been killed. A
nd I died a little more with every step I took inside that place. Then to see him tied up like a piece of garbage with his poor face beaten, my adrenalin almost choked the hell outta me.”
Kai put his plate on the table and turned her way. As he filled her horizon, the space compacted instantly. “Honey, no one is perfect. You stopped the asshole, and you saved the boys. You!”
“Because my training kicked in. It was pure instinct that carried me through. I stopped thinking and started reacting.”
“So I heard. I imagine Mr. Rhondo will be leaving the ladies alone for a good long while if Luke’s testimony is to be believed. Said he thought the man’s eyeballs had rolled right out of their sockets.”
She laughed, as he obviously intended. “Seemed to be the right thing to grab at the time. I had a female self-defence instructor who taught us the weaker points on a man’s body were the one’s to aim for. It’s fortuitous that so far she’s been proven correct.”
This time Kai laughed. Then he turned Aurora’s head to the side, and looked again at the wound hidden by the now loose curls streaming behind. His soft way of gathering the mass and carefully pushing it to the back earned him big points with Aurora, who had a thing about her hair. As a child, her mother had frequently forced Aurora’s head under a bowl, and to save money, the wicked bitch had hacked it off herself.
Little Aurora, hiding an inner dainty princess, hated the look and swore when she grew up no one would ever have the right to tell her how to look. Therefore she kept her beautiful dark locks long and thanked the gods for her natural wave.
“You have lovely hair.” His voice sounded harsh, as if the words had escaped his restraints.
Shaken, she had to lower the plate or else wear the leftover pizza. Food couldn’t get through a throat clogged with emotion. Her breathing quickened, and when she looked, his gaze reflected the passion she’d begun experiencing.
Uh, oh! This wasn’t on her to-do list at all. In fact it topped her not-a-chance-in-hell list. Kai’s face angled with a silent question clearly written. Eyes, bluer than any eyes had a right to be, hotter than hell, and sexier than she could handle, peered into her soul and found a willing mate.
Her brain whispered wickedly. Who am I trying to kid? After all, she’d always known it would happen, hadn’t she? Wanted it to happen. No—needed it to happen.
Sliding closer, she licked the side of his lips, cleaning away the crumb that clung to the day-old beard. Her action set them off, and in seconds he had her on his lap and was kissing her as if he couldn’t get enough. Moans added to the mesmerizing moments as their bodies heated up.
God, he tasted good. The last time they’d kissed had been perfect. This time was even better. Hardness surrounded her. Hard arms cuddled her; hard muscles formed the legs she sprawled over, and the hardness jutting from his lap promised heaven.
The devil’s lips were the only soft things about him—soft and knowing as they travelled from her mouth to her neck, seeking out her ears and travelling all around the perimeter.
Yes! Oh, yes! He was a lover. Not a man in a hurry to get his satisfaction, but practised and willing to share. His hands began their assault, and his massage became more seductive with each caress. First her breasts garnered his attention, and once he’d divested her of her blouse, his lips took over in that area while his hands moved lower.
Not to be outdone, she made sure that her writhing enticed him further. Considering the restraints of his snug jeans, she knew he couldn’t comfortably swell much larger. Thinking to help the poor man, she searched for and found the zipper, and then worked the button above it free.
Realizing her goal, he lifted her in his arms at the same time as he maneuvered them into a prone position. She appreciated his gentleness and the strength it took to be able to handle the switch so easily. Wanting to show her appreciation, she snaked around him, her willingness to please obvious.
Aurora had always been choosy in her mates. Therefore, she had very few notches on her bedpost. Rather than get involved with a man she didn’t hold in the highest esteem, she’d go without… and had done so a lot.
However, this man fit her picky profile, and for the first time in a long while, she wasn’t having sex. She was making love. And, it felt good. So good!
In no time at all they were both naked. Sweat from their frenzied bodies created an odour that heightened the moment and helped glue them together in the places where they were attached—lips to lips, legs between legs, and with him buried deep inside of her.
Leaning away, he swept strands of hair from her face and spread it behind. Then he framed her face with his hands. His voice roughened with passion, he whispered, “Are you okay? I don’t want to hurt you.”
He’d probably noticed how tight she’d been when he’d first penetrated. Lack of loving did that to a girl.
“You stop, and I’ll shoot to kill.” Her voice, sounding totally unnatural, quivered. No wonder! She hadn’t felt this wonderful in such a long time—months, years…
She stopped rubbing his back, and moved her hands lower in order to guide him deeper inside. The purring she made couldn’t be helped. It sounded perfect, with the groans coming from him. The two hearts thudding inunison made their own sweet music. It was as if everything in the universe fit.
Until the horrible moment when Aurora remembered they weren’t using birth control. With a curse, she pushed him away. Her body still wanted, but her brain had kicked in. She had trouble talking and had to push the words out. “Protection. Do you have any?”
His painful moan almost had her relenting. Who cared? Right? I’ve always wanted a baby.
“Please tell me you’re on the pill. Please.”
With her breath coming in gasps, she replied,” Can’t take them. They make me sick.”
“When was your last…?” His normally clear-eyed gaze, murky with smouldering lust, begged.
“Right! It was two weeks ago. Come here!”
And he came.
And so did she, with fireworks that threatened to blow her brains to smithereens.
***
Later, lying in her queen-size bed, cuddling, her fingers caressing his chest, while his combed through her hair, he revisited the subject on both their minds.
“If you get pregnant—”
“I won’t.”
“If you do, I want to know. None of this modern shit where the woman gets to decide the outcome all on her own.”
“Kai, I won’t get pregnant. And if I did, I’d have more respect for the baby’s father than to ignore his rights.” A tingle of apprehension settled into her tummy. If only…
Chapter Twenty-Six
The next morning, with a lightness to her step and a grin in her heart, Aurora headed for Cory’s office as soon as she arrived at work. She knocked and wondered why the door was closed.
“Enter.” He’d barked the word, and she knew instantly there were problems.
Her smile didn’t get returned, but she plodded on anyway. “Hey boss! Came to check on the news from the hospital. Did you bring Debbie and baby home last night?”
“Get in here Aurora, and close the dam door. Everyone wants a piece of me today, and there’s not enough to go around.” He sat with his head in his hands and a frown marring his good looks.
“What’s up, Cory? Is it Deb?” Worry invaded, and she moved closer to where he slouched behind the loaded desk. Papers covered every inch and threatened to topple over.
“They won’t let her come home yet. The infection hasn’t cleared, and until it does, they refuse to release her. I can’t figure out who’s more miserable, her or me. She keeps phoning me to spring her, and I can’t. Plus the sheriff lost his cool over Rhondo’s shenanigans yesterday.” He stopped his tirade long enough to point his finger in her direction. “Good work by the way. Then the media is playing devil’s advocate to build sensation and scare the living shit out of as many tourists as they can and…” Sadly, he shook his head and admitted the truth. �
��…I’m getting sick of sleeping on that bloody hospital cot.” He arched his shoulders, and when he exercised his neck, she heard the snap clearly.
“I sympathise buddy. Really! Don’t glare at me like that. Look, do you want me to stay with her tonight?”
“Right, like you’re in the greatest of shape, getting concussed just yesterday.” He actually snorted as he said the words.
“I’m not concussed. I never lost consciousness, and I got a great night’s sleep.” She hoped the smile in her heart didn’t reflect on her face or he’d know something was up. His scowl hadn’t deepened nor had his perceptive ability kicked in. This alone proved her friend was totally bummed. “Deb won’t mind, trust me. Contrary to popular opinion, she likes me.”
“I’ll run it by her and let you know later. Now, let’s figure out where we go from here with Rhondo. Just so you know, I’m getting really sick of hearing his name. It’s time we put the prick away.”
“Couldn’t agree with you more. As soon as Kai shows, we’re going to have a visit with Luke and find out what set Rhondo off yesterday.”
“Hope you have more luck than we did. He had no trouble telling us what happened after you arrived at his place, but anything before is for your ears only. Stupid kid is as loyal as they come.”
“Hey, he’s a good kid. One day, he’ll be sitting in your chair or maybe higher. He’s got the brains.”
“Well let’s hope he has enough of them left after the shit-kicking he took yesterday. The only thing he’d admit was that Rhondo wanted your address, and he didn’t get it.”
“He’s my guy!” Aurora let the pride shine through. “Let me know about the wife-sitting. And by the way, I only charge by the hour.” She made a funny face, and after he waved her away, she left.
Walking toward the coffee room to retrieve her coffee mug, she decided to stop by Ham’s desk. “Morning, Ham. Has Kai arrived?”
His startled look spoke volumes. She never said good morning. His answer came after a short pause. “Uh, huuuh. About ten minutes ago, he strolled in whistling with a satisfied look on his puss. You know anything about that?”