“Yeah,” I answer sharply.
“The system won’t let me in remotely.” I can hear the frustration in his voice. “I need the work computer, but I don’t think I should go into headquarters. Can it wait until tomorrow morning, when I get to the bat cave?”
I laugh. “What the hell is the bat cave?”
“I’m sorry, that’s what your uncle’s basement reminds me of.”
I laugh. “O’Neal, you’re probably one of those geeks that dream about Comic Con aren’t you?”
He’s quiet for a long time and I start to feel bad.
“I’ve been a few times,” he finally mumbles.
“You know, when I was younger, I called that room the Blue Sanctum because my dad, uncle and a few other detectives used to meet down there every week to play cards and discuss cases.”
“Really? That’s pretty awesome.”
“Yeah it was.” I reply with a laugh. “Go ahead and wait until morning, tell the others, and try to pull up everything you can. Everything, O’Neal, I need to know who this guy was.”
“We’ll dig up everything we can find.”
“Good, I’ll call you tomorrow after we meet with Adams.”
As we hang up, I roll my shoulders and head back to the car. I tell Clayton what Zach said and then we head to the restaurant to stake it out. We park down the street a little ways and set out on foot, putting our phones on talk to talk. Having decided that it’s likely that there is a secret entrance and exit, we have staked out the two buildings nearest the restaurant.
“I got him,” Clayton says over the phone.
I sit up and immediately look out the window.
“He’s coming out the back entrance of the building you’re in.”
I rush to that side, and sure enough, I see Marshall strolling out back.
“Get the vehicle. I’ll keep eyes on him.”
“Roger,” Clayton states quickly and I hear heavy footsteps.
I adjust my binoculars and watch as Marshall gets into a black sedan. He doesn’t seem aware of our presence, which is good. I take down the plate number.
“Louisiana plates XL4 391,” I say as I take the steps two at a time.
“Got him.”
I quickly slide into the car as we follow from a safe distance. Marshall drives to the docks and parks in front of one of the ships. We pull to the side, watching as he steps out of the vehicle and walks to one of the boats. He takes a cursory look around and then walks a little further down the docks to another boat.
“Wanna follow him?” Clayton asks and I nod.
“Stay with the car in case we need to move quickly. I’m going to try and get a closer look.”
“Be careful,” he says with a nod as I exit the vehicle.
I casually stroll further down, stopping in the doorway of a building. “I have eyes on him,” I say casually and then moments later, “Oh Shit!”
“What?”
“Tony Martin is here. He’s talking to him. Martin looks pissed. Damn it! I need to hear them.”
“Can you get closer without compromising your position?”
“No, I can’t, it’s open everywhere.” I pull the camera out and start taking pictures. “Martin’s leaving,” I say, snapping more pictures.
“Do you wanna follow him or Beauchamp?”
“Beauchamp, we need to follow him,” I say, making my way back to the vehicle.
Clayton causally pulls around and we start following Marshall again.
“With Martin here, it’s a safe bet he did the shooting,” Clayton says.
“Looks that way,” I reply as we start leaving the city.
“We’re getting too far out, he’s going to make us,” Clayton remarks, slapping the steering wheel.
“Turn around, we can’t be made. Let’s hit up the airport and get another rental.”
Clayton nods as he makes a U-turn. Several hours later, we ended up back at the restaurant. I am parked discreetly in the alley where the bar is while Clayton is parked where he can see the vehicle that Mr. Beauchamp got in this afternoon. Clayton had indicated that Beauchamp and Badour arrived together and entered through the building near the restaurant.
“I wonder what she made tonight,” Clayton whines.
I shake my head in frustration. This is the fourth time he has mentioned food in the span of a couple of hours. He’s driving me nuts! “I’m sure whatever it was, it was fantastic. Is there any movement on your end?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Nothing yet. You gonna talk to her tonight?”
“If she’ll let me.”
“Kiss her ass, man. We need to get in that restaurant.”
“Clayton, shut up.”
“Fine, but you know as well as I do that we need to get in there before we leave…” he stops for a minute. “Got him, Beauchamp and the woman are exiting the building.”
“Follow them.”
“Good luck with Dominique.”
He disconnects and I wait another thirty minutes before I see several people walking out, including Dominique. She is talking with a male employee and my hands tense around the binoculars. Soon, she steps away from him and begins her trek home. I lose sight of her as she crosses the street but know she will walk past this alley soon.
“Dominique,” I say and watch her jump.
“Jesus! You scared the crap out of me,” she says, holding her hand over her heart.
“Sorry, can I give you a ride?”
She stares at me for a long time and then starts walking to the car. As she sits, she brings her bag in front of her and wraps her arm around it. I carefully pull out and turn the corner, watching her out of the corner of my eye.
“I’m sorry about this morning.”
She nods but doesn’t say anything and I am torn with what to do next. Do I tell her the truth, do I try to bullshit her? As I glance at her again, I can see the worried expression on her face. The hurt I see makes my decision for me.
“The Sicignano family killed my family,” I say matter-of-factly. “I have been tracking them for years, unable to make anything stick. Your bosses are tied to them somehow. I know that’s no excuse for making you feel like you were being used. Sometimes… well, sometimes I act without thinking when it comes to them.” I blow out a steadying breath. “What I asked you to do this morning was extremely dangerous and I don’t want you to feel that I asked that of you lightly or that that was the reason I was with you. Dominique, I…”
“I’ll do it, Valentino,” she says glancing at me, her eyes moist with unshed tears.
“What?”
“I’ll do it,” she repeats determinedly. “I’ll help you any way that I can.”
“Are you sure?”
She nods and chews on her lip for a moment. “I’m sorry about your family.”
“It was a long time ago,” I say out loud, but in my head it still feels like yesterday.
“Do you want to come up with me?” she asks as I park in front of her complex.
I nod and turn my head to see her watching me. Without hesitation, her mouth is on mine as we embrace. Her kiss is calming and sweet and it stirs me up inside. A feeling envelopes me, something I have never felt before, something that I have only witnessed, something that scares the living crap out of me… love.
20 Rendezvous
Dominique Walker
July 30th
He pulls me close to him, letting his hand play with the top of my hair. We’ve already made love and are now just lying in each other’s arms, holding on to one another. He is quiet and I’m desperate to fill the silence, but something tells me to wait. To do as Santiago said and just listen. I had been so angry this morning, but Santiago had encouraged me to hear him out, which is what I am going to do.
“You seem close to your father,” he states, motioning to a picture on my dresser.
“I am,” I say with a smile. “He raised me when my mom decided she wanted a new life.” I try to hold back the bile but he
notices immediately and glances at me. “Sorry, my mother and I don’t see eye-to-eye about anything.”
“I understand,” he replies with a small smile.
“What about you? Are you close to your parents?”
His face strains but he nods. I start to ask him something else but he looks horrified. His eyes are closed and he bears the resemblance of someone who’s in pain or someone reliving something painful. I need to redirect this. I’m staring at him, desperate to think of something else to say to change the subject.
“So, how’s the weather in Chicago?”
He takes a sharp breath and slowly a smile creeps on his face. His eyes open and he looks at me mischievously. “The weather, huh?”
I grin as he repeats what I said to him the night we met and then roll on top of him. “Yes, Valentino, I’m asking about the weather.” I kiss him softly on the lips.
“The weather is great,” he says, repositioning me.
“I’m really glad you came back,” I tell him sincerely.
“Me too.” He starts running his fingers between my breasts. His tongue passes over his lips and then his brow furrows slightly. “I never talk about my family and…”
I shake my head and lean down, kissing him again, tenderly, lovingly. “You don’t have too right now either.”
He doesn’t say anything right away. Slowly the expression on his face chances, he doesn’t look upset. He just runs the tips of his fingers along the outline of my face. I am so lost in the sensation that his next words sort of shock me.
“Jackson said something happened to you, what was it?”
I sit up and wrap my fingers in my braids nervously. My breathing picks up and my heart races as flashes of what happened to Jonathan creep into my mind. No, No, No, No, No! Jonathan is the last person I want to be discussing while lying naked with Valentino.
“You don’t have to say. I was curious. It’s the agent in me. I always want details,” he states quickly.
I blow out a breath and try to calm down. I roll off him and sit against the headboard. Drawing my knees up, my arms wrap around them as I try to decide what to say. Finally, I rest my head atop my knee caps, looking in his direction.
“Three years ago, I met this really wonderful man. His name was Jonathan. He was probably the sweetest guy I had ever met. Two years ago, he proposed to me, and the day after he was killed by a drunk driver, right in front of me,” I say with tears streaking my cheeks.
“I’m so sorry, Dominique,” he says while sitting up as well.
“There are still nights I see what happened, but mostly I’m okay. When Phillipe was shot…” I shake my head. “It made me remember that day again. I think that was probably the hardest thing about what happened to Phillipe. I wasn’t upset because I was into him, it just... I don’t know, maybe it was just PTSD,” I finish with a shrug.
He looks down and is breathing deeply. His mouth opens several times to speak but no words come out. Finally, he expels a loud breath as his forehead creases. He has that pained look again. What happened to him to cause that look?
“My parents and sister were killed by a car bomb. I was supposed to be with them. They waited for me but I was working and ended up running late. I saw the car blow up, just as I started to approach it,” he says quickly.
“Valentino, that’s awful.”
“The last image I have is my sister…” His eyes squeeze shut and he starts wheezing air in and out while his hands start shaking.
I immediately reach out and touch his face, cupping it lightly while my thumb moves along his cheek. “No one should have to witness someone they love die right in front of them. It’s a pain we never forget,” I say, my voice straining from my own hurt. “You’re the first man I have been with since Jonathan. The first man I have wanted to be with.”
His eyes open. They are wet as he pulls me onto his lap. His arms envelope me like a cocoon while his face nuzzles against my neck. His breathing is ragged and I’m pretty sure he might be crying, which makes me cry as well.
“I miss them so much,” he says, his voice cracking with emotion.
I hold him close to me as we expel our hurt on one another. We don’t talk about Jonathan or his family for the rest of the evening but somehow, we both know. We were kindred in a way, both having had people we love and care about snatched away right in front of our very eyes. Both of us unable to stop the inevitable. Both of us carrying the pain of that day with us. Maybe we will be able to help each other somehow.
July 31st
I am awoken with tender kisses. With closed eyes, I pull him to me, intensifying our connection, wanting to feel his body against mine. It’s only when I move my hand down his neck that I realize he’s fully dressed. My eyes open and I lean back some. He’s wearing what he had on last night. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt but his hat is pulled to the back.
“Are you leaving?”
“My meeting is in two hours and I need to change clothes and grab a bite to eat before we get in there.”
I sit up. “I can cook for you,” I blurt out, hurt that he would consider eating somewhere else.
He smiles and kisses me again. “I would love that but I need to be there early.”
I know I must have a pout on my face because his smile grows exponentially. He lays me back and settles between my legs, laying tender kisses along my lips, cheeks, jaw, wherever his lips can reach. God! I love his kisses.
“Can I see you after my meeting?”
I grin and nod as his hot breath causes my skin to pebble. I flip his hat off and run my hand over the soft hair on his head. I wonder what he would look like with his hair grown out. I bet it would be all sexy and crazy. He rotates his hips slightly and I can feel him respond to me. He must realize what he’s doing and slows down until he eventually stops, peppering my neck with kisses.
“Dominique,” he whispers against me.
“I have to go into the restaurant today,” I say, swallowing thickly. “I usually do my inventory on Mondays before I shop for the week.”
He stops kissing my neck and rolls off me. His face is contemplative as he tucks a loose braid behind my ear. “I don’t like the idea of you being alone with Mr. Beauchamp.”
I smile. “Marshall and Whitney aren’t usually there on Mondays. I mean, they have been a couple of times but…” I pause and chew on lip for a moment. “Since they will most likely be gone and I’m usually the only one there I could get you and Clayton inside.”
He arches his brow and I’m not sure what he’s thinking. He did say before that he needed to know what was happening in the restaurant. You would think he would jump at the opportunity to get inside and really look around.
“Are you sure about that, Dominique?” he finally says.
“Yes,” I answer, sitting up again. “Don’t you need in?” I ask.
He nods, but then his mouth is on me again. Kissing me tenderly, making me want him desperately. His phone starts buzzing. “Damn it,” he mutters. “I better go. I’ll be back.”
I grin as he snatches his hat off the bed and puts it back on.
He kisses me again. “I should be back around noon.”
“Tell Agent Smith I said to lighten up,” I tell him with a giggle.
He grins. “All right, Trinity.”
“Ooohhh, does that make you Neo?”
I can hear his laughter all the way down the hall. I jump out of the bed and grab my robe, running out of the room. I catch him right before he is going to step out of the door. He stops and pulls me closer to him, kissing me one more time before finally walking out, smiling. I lean my back against the door and run my hand over my stomach. Calm down, Dominique! Don’t get all carried away.
~*~
I spend the morning milling about, waiting for Valentino to return. Santiago isn’t home, having decided to spend the next few days at Jackson’s, wanting to give me and Valentino a chance to get to know one another better. He had told me yesterday that Valentino seem
ed sincere and that maybe I had jumped the gun with my accusation at breakfast. He told me to listen, to really listen, and then make a judgment on the situation. I did that last night and now I think it’s going to take everything in my power not to fall madly and completely in love with him. Maybe I already have, I think with a sigh. My phone buzzes and I take a deep breath and look down at my phone, giggling involuntarily.
V: Agent Smith is still a jerk. Neo
D: Don’t worry. I have an exit at 1st and Birch. Hurry!
V: :-)
V: I’ll be there in 30. I want to take you somewhere.
D: Where are we going and do I need to be in leather?
V: That visual alone makes me want you desperately. See you in a few.
D: okay, bye
I laugh and run into the bathroom to check my hair and makeup. I wonder… I dash into my room and barrel into my closet. Where is it? I know it’s in here. I jump excitedly when I find the pants Santiago made me get last year, telling me that, ‘every woman must own a pair of leather pants’, to which I replied, ‘I will have absolutely no occasion to wear them’. Well, let’s hope this is the occasion to break them out. I quickly change, pairing the pants with a sheer floral top and then go back in the bathroom to touch up my makeup and hair before he arrives.
“All right, Dominique, you got this!” I say to my reflection.
I hear knocking and quickly make my way to the door, taking a deep breath before finally opening it. He stands there staring at me, his eyes moving up and down my body, and when his eyes reach mine they are dark and lustful. Oh, Santiago, I will never question your fashion prowess again! He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me to him. A growl emerges from deep within his throat as his hands move over my rear.
“You’re wearing leather,” he states, bringing his mouth close to mine.
“Do you like it?” I ask, tugging on his bottom lip.
His growl deepens as he pushes me against the door, kissing me hard. His tongue is whipping in and out of my mouth with reckless abandon. I can’t breathe and I’m having a hard time keeping up with his frenzied pace but my body is already pulsing, wanting him. We finally stop, but only because we hear movement down the hall. He rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly parted. Maybe we don’t need to go anywhere after all. When he has composed himself, he steps back from me and takes my hand in his, leading me down the hall, towards the elevators.
Retaliatory Justice (The Talionic Files #1) Page 19