End Game (Games Thriller Series)

by J. E. Taylor

  “Injustice.” He huffed and turned away from her, under the stream of water. “Money had nothing to do with that ruse,” he mumbled. “If your son hadn’t fixed me, I’d be dead right now.” He hung his head. “And I capitalized on the opportunity.” He glanced back at her.

  “I know. Much more than I realized.”

  Chris laughed softly. “I got rich off the blood of others. Basically, I’ve stolen everything I have, including you.” He shook his head. “Injustice just seems too mild a word.”

  “Ty?” Jessica whispered and he turned toward her.

  “Don’t get me wrong, Jessie, I am grateful for everything I have, but I believe in what goes around comes around and my time is coming.”

  Jessica took a deep breath. “You have done some good things to counteract the bad.”

  He smiled. Thank God I have you. “That is only because of you. Everything good and pure in my life is a direct result of you.” He kissed her. “But it isn’t enough to balance the bad.”

  “Well, on the upside, I can never testify against you now.” She smiled up at him waving her left hand with her wedding band at him.

  Chris laughed. “Leave it to you to think of something like that.”

  “I’m sure it’s crossed your mind.”

  He shook his head. “Nope.”

  “Liar,” she said and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

  Well, maybe once or twice, he thought. He smiled in response as their lips met.

  Chapter 30

  The clang of the metal door woke him from a troubled sleep and he stood on legs that ached. Hell, his whole body ached.

  Sharon waltzed across the floor to him. “Did you have a nice night’s sleep?”

  “Fuck you,” he said through a sleep-coated mouth.

  Sharon flipped open her phone and made a quick call, sending a wink in his direction. “Don’t worry; by the end of the day, you won’t be alone here anymore.”

  Her casual manner brought both fear and anger boiling back. “Leave them out of it, Sharon. You’ve got me, isn’t that what you wanted?”

  “It’s too late for that. You humiliated me in public and you need to pay for that. You all do.”

  The crazed look in her eye almost made him lose control over his overfilled, throbbing bladder. “Please don’t do this,” he pleaded. All he could think about was what she would do when she saw Tommy. It was hard to mistake the resemblance, just as hard as it would be to overlook CJ being Chris’s son.

  Her phone rang and she turned her back on him, answering the call. “It won’t be long now,” she smiled and flipped the phone closed, waving goodbye to Tom as she slipped out of sight.

  Chapter 31

  Chris put down the phone, staring at the bouquet of flowers sitting on the kitchen counter. Eric said they arrived shortly after he and Jessica went to the bank. The card had a nice sentiment but no signature and Sam didn’t send them, neither did Jessica’s family. Dread pressed on his chest and he glanced at her. “Do you think Tom sent them?”

  “I doubt he would send flowers with that nice a sentiment,” Jessica said inspecting the card. “This isn’t his handwriting either.” She flipped open her cell anyway and scrolled down to his most recent call. After a few rings, the call dumped into his voicemail. “Hey Tom, just calling to see if you sent us flowers this morning. Can you give me a yell when you get this message?”

  “If it wasn’t Tom, someone knows who and where we are,” Chris said. He glanced toward the living room and then back at her. “Maybe we should cut out of here a little earlier than planned. We can check into a hotel in mid-town closer to where Eric is playing tomorrow.”

  Jessica nodded. “We can go after we eat lunch, that’ll give the kids time to pack.”

  “We already ate,” Eric said, crossing to the sink and depositing a fistful of empty plates.

  “But we haven’t,” Jessica answered.

  Chris opened the refrigerator. The contents were sparse and he sighed. “Looks like you guys cleared us out.” He glanced over his shoulder at Eric and then switched his gaze to Jessica. “What are you in the mood for?” As always, the question prompted his mind to launch into the gutter.

  Jessica grinned, catching an underlying meaning in his question.

  “Food, Mom,” Eric interrupted. “God, do you two ever stop?”

  Jessica immediately cleaned up her thoughts and color flushed her cheeks crimson.

  “You’re over fifty,” Eric complained, rolling his eyes.

  “Hey! Give your mom a break; she looks damn good for her age.”

  Jessica raised her eyebrows. “For my age?”

  It was Chris’s turn to blush and he nodded.

  “You turn forty this year, babe.”

  Chris grinned. “Yeah, and you’re just a bit older than me.”

  “But I still look like I’m thirty.” She put her hands on her hips.

  Chris tilted his head a little as he looked at her, narrowing his eyes. “Maybe.”

  Bite me, she thought and the slow grin that spread on his face caused her heart to quicken and the heat index in the room to skyrocket.

  “What do you want for lunch?” He leaned against the counter. He hadn’t aged much in the last ten years either. His still had a full head of hair and only a few laugh lines around his eyes and was in superb physical shape thanks to the karate classes he taught.

  Jessica shrugged. “Chinese?”

  Chris walked over to the phone and placed the order. Twenty minutes later with the kids all packed and ready to go, the food arrived. Chris and Jessica sat down to eat while the kids went in the living room to watch television.

  “Maybe?” Jessica looked at him and pulled out some lo mein noodles from the white paper box.

  Chris smiled. “You still look younger than I do.”

  Jessica slipped her shoe off and ran her foot up his leg and sinuously slid the chopsticks between her open lips. Slowly and deliberately, she pulled them out of her closed mouth.

  Chris glanced toward the entry way and the kitchen door closed with a soft click. He slid his chair back a few feet. “I’ve got something for you to suck on,” he whispered and pulled her from her chair and onto his lap, drowning her protests with his tongue.

  “I’ll bet you do. But now isn’t the time.”

  “I beg to differ.” The sound of his zipper lowering one noisy link at a time filled the room and he grinned, his hands firmly holding her waist. “You want to tease me like that?” He pointed his chin toward her discarded chopsticks. “Tsk, tsk.” His hands drifted to the hem of her skirt and underneath, finding the creamy skin of her thighs.

  The lock on the kitchen door flipped with a tick and his fingers found their objective. The soft patch of cotton between her legs soon became tacky with her juices, prompted by his gentle massage and he chuckled, his eyes locked on hers, watching the calico colors swirl in her irises. He moved the fabric aside and dipped his finger into the wetness, sliding as slow and deliberate as she had done with her chopsticks.

  “Make love to me.”

  Her underwear tore in his hands and he thrust his aching cock into the sweetness of her pussy. “God, Jessie.” He sighed and stared into her strange eyes, the colors swirling ever so slightly as they always did when he was inside her. “You still have no clue what you do to me.”

  Jessica laughed and ground her hips, forcing him farther inside. “I know exactly what I do to you. I’ve always known. From that first meeting, which was electrifying for more than one reason, wasn’t it?” She smiled.

  His smile never faltered and he nodded, even though that statement sent a thrilling chill through the fibers of his skin. “So I did see something in your eyes, even then.” He moved with her, guiding her hips with his hands, the delicious stroke of her sending his throbbing cock into overdrive.

  “Yes. When our eyes first met, I felt like a lightning bolt went through me. You still have that affect on me every time I look into your eyes.” She arc
hed again, kissing him to stop the moan of pleasure from escaping.

  He picked up the pace with both his tongue and his hip thrusts. When the kiss broke, he smiled. “It’s a wonder I can breathe when you’re around.”

  She laughed.

  “I sometimes forget to when I look at you.” He tightened his jaw and dug his fingers into her waist trying to gain control but he was too far gone and the playful, sexy smile on her face combined with her lust-laden eyes shoved him over the edge. “Jessie!” he whispered through clenched teeth, mindful of the kids a few yards away in the other room, even with the orgasm ripping through him and filling her with his juices.

  “Ty,” she whispered with the same reverie, arching into her climax, her muscles clenching and driving another wave of tremors through his spent member.

  He closed his eyes and tilted his head back for a moment, taking a deep breath. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her, sensing her shift in mood as she pulled away from him. He zipped up and watched her pull herself together, the underwear a complete loss that landed in the kitchen garbage.

  The satiation of the moment faded and he stared at her, sighing. “I don’t think I would survive without you.”

  Jessica paused and looked at him. “If something happened to me you would be fine. You have the boys.”

  He shook his head. “I wouldn’t be fine.”

  “You’d have to be.” She looked at him sharply. “With kids you don’t have the luxury of not being okay. They’d need you and that comes first.”

  He took another deep breath and took her in with his eyes, slowly and completely, memorizing everything as something under the surface of his conscious nagged at him to remember what she looked like. “Just smile for me, will you?” he asked softly wanting that memory stored as well.

  Jessica smiled and let out a light chuckle. “Sometimes I just don’t know about you.”

  “It’s a little late for that.” He smiled and hiked his chair back to the table. With a quick glance, the kitchen door unlocked and he picked up the chopsticks, resuming their disrupted lunch.

  She took the seat next to him and finished eating the lo mein noodles and the Chinese vegetables that she had piled on her plate before their little sideshow, trying not to grin like a fool.

  Emily came in a few minutes later. “You haven’t finished lunch yet?”

  They looked at each other, grinned and blushed. “Not yet,” they replied in unison.

  “We are ready to go anytime you are.”

  Chris reached into his pocket and tossed the keys to her. “Have Eric throw your bags into the back. We’ll be a few more minutes.”

  “Okay.” She caught the keys and disappeared, letting the door close behind her again.

  “I can’t wait to get home,” Jessica said. “I miss the quiet.”

  Chris burst out laughing. “It’s never quiet at home.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  He nodded. “I do.” He stood and collected their plates, bringing them to the sink, just leaving them on the growing stack of dishes.

  Jessica looked from the mess to him.

  “Maid service.”

  “Must be nice.”

  “It is. You want one at home?”

  She raised her eyebrow. “Actually...”

  “Consider it done.”

  “I don’t need one every day. Just once a week would be nice.”

  “Whatever your heart desires, babe.”

  “I don’t need much more than what I already have.” She wrapped her arms around him, gently kissing him.

  “Now you’re just getting sappy.”

  “Bite me.”

  He leaned over, bit her neck, and chuckled before pulling away. “We need to pack up.”

  “Mmmm,” she agreed and they headed to pack up their things.

  “Do we want to sell this place?” he asked as he walked into the bedroom behind her.

  Jessica turned. “Why?”

  “I don’t know. It’s not very practical for the family.”

  Jessica burst out laughing. “Who cares? I’d rather stay here than in some hotel when we visit the city.”

  Chris thought about that. “I’d rather have room service.”

  “You do have room service. It’s called delivery.”

  Chris laughed. “All right. We’ll keep it.”

  Jessica traced the diamond necklace on her nightstand with her fingers before picking it up. “This is really beautiful. Thank you,” she said and ran her thumb over the diamonds.

  “I’d love it if you wore it,” he said and crossed to her, taking the necklace from her and slipped it around her neck, clasping it when she pulled her hair to the side. “Pack the dress too.”

  She placed the dress in the garment bag and scanned the room again for anything she might want at the hotel and then Maine. There was nothing else.

  They went into the boys’ room and did a check to make sure they had everything. Chris found a game under the bed and snagged it.

  “Ready?” He looked at Jessica and she nodded.

  “All right everyone, ready to roll?” he asked as they walked into the living room and got nods in return. Emily handed him the keys and they gave one last glance at the apartment before turning to catch the elevator.

  Chris locked the apartment and turned. The entire family stood staring at the progression of numbers on the display and it hit him. This was his family. Joy and terror filled him and a small shiver slithered down his spine. Of all things in this world he wanted and never expected to come to fruition, this, this moment outshined them all. Every fantasy from his youth paled in comparison and his heart swelled.

  They headed down the elevator and got the kids strapped in their car seats. Eric and Emily settled in and Jessica clicked her seatbelt. Chris opened his door and his phone rang. He dug it out of his pocket and flipped it open at the same time the driver’s door closed. “Hi Sam, we were just getting ready to leave,” he said and started the car.

  A whir caught his attention, followed by a familiar smell and he glanced at Jessica. The same puzzled look graced her face and then her eyes rolled back and she slumped in the seat.

  “Damn.” Chris looked up; the last thing that registered in his mind was a chloroform dispenser like the ones he used to use to capture Frank’s victims. The phone slipped from his hand and darkness settled over him.

  Chapter 32

  Sam stared at the cell phone. “Chris?”

  No answer, and a bad feeling crawled into his bones. The absence of sound, more specifically, the absence of Chris or any of the others echoing over the sound of the engine in the receiver frightened him and he flipped the phone closed.

  “I’ll be back,” he said and grabbed his coat, shuffling quickly toward the apartment building ten blocks away. He wrapped his coat against the frigid wind tunnel and a few minutes later, he arrived at the garage entrance.

  “Excuse me, did the Ryan’s leave yet?” He looked at the nametag on the left lapel of the attendant. “Jason?”

  “I haven’t seen Mr. Ryan for years,” Jason replied.

  Sam smiled at him. “I was at his wedding yesterday. I’ve known Chris since he was a little boy.”

  Jason shifted uncomfortably. “He’s not here.”

  “I’ll tell you what. Can we take a walk to where his car is parked and see?” Sam asked and pulled out his wallet.

  “Look, Mr. Ryan isn’t here.”

  Sam looked up at the young man. “I’m sure Chris told you to say that, but I am an old friend. I was talking with him and we were cut off. I’m a little concerned and I just want to ease my mind. Please, can you help me out?”

  “Why don’t you just call him back?”

  “I’ve tried and I can’t get through.” Sam leveled with him. “You can even have my card. I’m his lawyer.” Sam pulled out a business card from his wallet and handed it to Jason.

  Jason looked at the card and then back up at Sam, indecision causing him t
o bite his lip. After a few flashes back and forth between the card and back, he took a deep breath. “Okay,” he said and led Sam up the ramp.

  “Thank you,” Sam said, relief washing over him as he followed the young man.

  They rounded the corner and got a full view of what lay in the penthouse parking spot. Chris, face down with a butcher knife planted in his back.

  “Jesus Christ!” Sam bolted toward his client, leaving Jason standing by the guardrail with his jaw hanging wide. He dug the phone out of his pocket, stabbing 9-1-1 with his index finger and brought the receiver to his ear, stopping short of the ever-increasing pool of blood. He skirted around, finding a dry spot near Chris’s head and crouched, pressing his fingers to the side of Chris’s throat. “I need an ambulance,” he snapped into the phone. The thread of a pulse gave him pause enough to close his eyes and say a prayer. “Someone’s been stabbed and if you don’t get here soon, he’ll die.” He looked up at Jason’s ashen face. “Yes, please send the police too.”

  Sam stood, folding the phone and putting his hand over his mouth. He stepped out of the blood range and took a closer look at Chris. Tire tracks laced across both calves and the fabric of his jeans was soaked red. “Jesus Christ.” Someone drove over his legs, crushing them to a bloody pulp. He aimed a shaky cell phone camera and started snapping pictures, backing away from the crime scene.

  The wail of a distant siren snapped his gaze away from Chris toward Jason. “What exactly did you see?”

  “I saw the truck leaving about five minutes before you came. Is he dead?” His eyes remained locked on the morbid form on the ground.

  “No, but if they don’t get here soon, he will be.” Sirens bounced off the concrete and the ambulance screeched to a halt a few feet from Chris.

  The paramedics got Chris onto a gurney and hauled him into the ambulance. Sam jumped in with them for the ride to the hospital, watching in silence as they worked on him. Once they had an IV in his arm and packing around the knife to slow the bleeding, they turned to Sam.

  “Who are you?” one of the paramedics asked.