by Jillian Neal
He held her as she convulsed. He watched what he’d done to her. Rainer was unable to believe he was lucky enough to get to be the guy that watched something so exquisitely beautiful. When she stilled, he withdrew as tenderly as he was able and fell on to the bed beside her. He kept her wrapped in his arms.
She tucked her head under his chin. He brushed a tender kiss on her forehead as they reveled in their rhythms as they spun and danced around them and glowed red from their passion.
Missing Piece
“You are incredible, Em. I love you so much.” He felt her smile against his chest. She clung to him tightly. She refused to ease her arms around him, and he didn't want her to. “You ok, baby?” She leaned her head up with a replete smile on her face.
“I’m perfect. That was amazing, and I know you’re worrying. I just wish you knew what that means to me, what being here means to me, what you mean to me….” Her explanation drowned in concern over him.
“Baby, no,” Rainer immediately squeezed her tighter. “Em, that means everything to me, ok. Please don’t think that my worry over everything going on means that being with you doesn’t mean as much to me, or that I was distracted, or anything like that. He willed her to understand. “I know you felt it, but I just….” He tried to think of the words to explain what she’d felt from him, while they were together.
A sudden understanding of why Vindico had scoffed over being with a Receiver had Rainer reeling. He loved that Emily could read him so thoroughly even when it meant he had to explain some things just like he needed to now. That only meant that they needed to talk. He reminded himself.
Still rubbing her back, he drew a steadying breath. He inhaled the scent of her and let it soothe him.
“I guess I’m worried and a little irritated.” He confessed. She sat up, crossed her legs, and gazed at him.
“Why are you irritated?”
Rainer chuckled as he positioned his head in his hands and stared up at her.
“So, you expect me to talk while you sit there completely naked and showing off everything that makes me ache?” He gestured to her crotch on full display as she had her legs folded like a pretzel. She rolled her eyes and giggled as she shook her head.
“Would you like me to get dressed, Mr. Lawson?” Rainer rubbed his hand down her thigh to her backside. He shook his head.
“That is not ever something that I want.”
“So talk,” she urged insistently.
Rainer sighed.
“Ok but if at some point during this conversation, I lay you down and crawl all over you then you should consider yourself warned.” Emily giggled.
“I think I’ll take my chances.” Rainer let his fingers continue to glide along her thigh as he considered what he wanted to say first.
“I don't know. I mean I wanted to bring you here, get away from it all, let you shop to your heart's content, see all the sights, and then take you to all of the sexy places Paris has to offer, but it just seems I've brought everything with us.” Emily studied him closely and then gave him a sweet smile.
“I know today didn't go exactly as planned….” They both laughed out right at the truthfulness of that statement. “But Adeline and I did have an amazing morning, and I found a fabulous dress. Tea was out of this world.” She blushed slightly and shrugged.
“I thought uh all of this...” She gestured to the bed. “Was pretty hot. Tomorrow we can go back and get my dress, and shop, and eat, and do all of those things you said you wanted to do. I mean if Fitzroy catches the guys. He seemed up to the task.” Rainer grinned at her optimism.
“I know, baby. I just….” He shook his head in frustrated disbelief. “How did he know we’d be here? No one knew where I was bringing you except Vindico and your family!”
“And Fitzroy,” Emily stated thoughtfully. Rainer considered that.
“Yeah, and I don’t even know who the hell he is, but he sure seems to know a lot about me.”
“You could call Vindico.” Emily suggested tentatively. “I mean if you’re worried about it.”
“That’s a very good idea actually.” Rainer complimented and then eased from the bed to locate his cell. He found it in the pocket of the slacks he’d worn to tea. He fished it out and sank onto the bed beside Emily. She leaned forward, up on her knees, and pressed her breasts into his back as she let her arms hang loosely around his shoulders. She kissed his cheek. The motion eased Rainer’s harried thoughts and soothed his soul.
Before he could dial, there was a knock on the door.
“Please do not be doing what I know you’re doing!” Logan’s voice pled.
Rainer debated moving to the door and moaning loudly or calling out Emily’s name in heated passion, but he just chuckled.
“Little busy, Logan. D’you need something?” Rainer reveled in the flirtatious kisses Emily was whispering down his neck and back as she let her hands grope his pecks.
“Vindico’s on the phone, man. I’m sorry. I told him you were busy, but he said to interrupt you that he has to talk to you now.”
“Ok, hang on a sec.” Rainer was too curious to pretend to be agitated. Emily had pulled away as soon as she’d heard Logan’s request. She threw on a pair of panties and some black knit leggings and one of Rainer’s t-shirts.
Rainer hoisted on a clean pair of boxers and the pair of jeans he’d worn earlier in the day. He opened the door. Logan gave him a sorrowful expression as he handed Rainer Adeline’s cell phone.
Rainer furrowed his brow and held up the phone in a silent question. Logan shook his head and shrugged.
“That’s what he called on.”
Rainer brought the cell to his face.
“This is Rainer,” he answered.
“Lawson,” Vindico quipped instantly. “Listen, I’m sorry, but this couldn’t wait.”
“No, it’s fine. We were uh…” he blushed as he realized that he’d been about to inform his boss and his best friend that he and Emily had finished their session. “It’s fine.” He concluded as Vindico gave a slight chuckle.
“Listen to me, Lawson. Not to rain on your vacation, but I’ll be on the next flight out to Paris. I think your cell has been cloned.” He stated morosely.
“What!” Rainer panicked as just some of the conversations and texts that he and Emily had traded back and forth over the past few weeks began to replay in his mind.
“Not what, who?” Vindico spat. “I called Miss Parker’s cell because I’m certain that it hasn’t been compromised, but that’s the only phone you should use until I get there. I got all three of you new phones. You can pay me back later.” He instructed.
“Ok thanks,” Rainer swallowed harshly. His heart raced. The information he’d just been given pounded against the recesses of his mind. “All right fine. Who then?” He demanded.
“Yeah, I have news on that as well. Just meet me in the bar of the hotel you’re staying in,” He stated cryptically. “In about three hours. Like I said I’m about to board. Oh and Lawson….” Vindico eased. “Chloe Sawyer has been hospitalized. She was attacked outside of her home. She was on the phone with Garrett when it happened. He was on his way over. He got there in time to save her and arrest two of Wretchkinside’s thugs. They’re trying to force Medio Sawyer to sell the Angels. He’s the majority holder. Seems Marlisa is tired of trying to cheat to win and the Sirens are 0-4. So, she asked daddy to buy her the Angels. I didn’t know if you wanted to tell Emily or if you wanted me to.” Utter shock rocked through Rainer.
“Is she ok?” Rainer choked as he glanced at Emily. She’d immediately felt his panic. How was he going to tell her that?
“She held them off until Garrett got there. She’s got a few bumps and bruises. They’ve healed her, but Sawyer insisted she be kept overnight. I can tell you more once I’m there. I’ll meet you in a little while.”
Rainer rolled his left wrist and noted the time.
“Ok,” he agreed as panic coursed through his body. Vindico hung up, an
d Rainer handed Adeline’s cell back to Logan.
“What’d he say?” Logan studied Rainer.
Rainer shook his head and tried to sort through everything he’d just learned. He drew a steadying breath and reached for Emily. She wrapped herself around him instantly. Terror took up residence in her eyes.
“Uh,” Rainer tried to think systematically. “Where’s Adeline?” He asked Logan. His face colored.
“Uh… she’s in our room.” Logan insinuated that perhaps Adeline wasn’t fully clothed.
“Right, sorry, but uh could you go get her. I think she needs to hear this.” Rainer pled.
“Sure, yeah, just hang on a sec.” Logan offered uncomfortably. “Just come in whenever she’s ready.” Rainer slunk back to their bed.
A few minutes later, Logan knocked and then opened Rainer and Emily’s suite door. He placed his hand on the small of Adeline’s back and guided her inside. He tried hard not to grimace at the unmade bed.
“Sorry,” Rainer didn’t really want Emily or Adeline to hear his apology but felt he should offer something as he’d invited Logan into he and Emily’s suite. Logan shook his head and seated himself on the couch in their room. He pulled Adeline into his lap. Emily reseated herself in the unmade bed, not seeming to mind that it was fairly obvious what had just taken place there.
Rainer paced and tried to decide where to begin. Logan seemed to sense Rainer’s confusion.
“Ok why did he call on Ad’s cell?” He was clearly trying to guide Rainer through his explanation. Rainer nodded. He appreciated the gesture.
“He thinks my cell was cloned and maybe yours and Em’s too.” He choked.
“What?” Emily gasped. She immediately panicked as she recalled the same things Rainer remembered when Vindico called him. He moved to her as she curled up into a ball and laid her head in his lap. Devastation etched her eyes. If his phone was cloned, then every picture she’d sent, every flirtatious and dirty thing they’d said, had been seen by others.
“Well, that would explain how Wretchkinsides knew we were here.” Adeline gave Emily a sympathetic gaze.
“But how?” Emily sprang up off of Rainer’s lap.
“I don’t know, Em, it would’ve taken someone that caught me amplifying the signal, and could read my energy streams, and knew the number of the phone.” He stated morosely. “I don’t ever talk to anyone but you and Logan.” He shook his head and tried to think of anywhere he’d been that he’d amplified the phone signal enough that another Gifted person could have caught and locked onto the particle displacement that is slightly different in every cellular phone. The sinusoidal wave reading could be captured and copied onto a duplicate phone.
“And who knows our phone numbers?” Logan huffed in disbelief. “I mean besides my family.” Rainer couldn’t come up with anyone.
“Anyway, Vindico thinks he knows who did it, and he’s on his way here now. He wants us to meet him in the bar, in a few hours.”
“Ok,” Emily continued to study Rainer closely. Her eyes penetrated his.
“What else is wrong?” She knew him far too well. Even if he’d been able to stall on telling her about Chloe, the fact that they’d just made love made her more perceptive and more aware of Rainer’s energy than any other time. She could pick up on every single arc or flow of his energy for several hours after they’d finished, as long as he’d released inside of her.
“Uh,” Rainer pulled her back close to him. He caressed her thigh. He could feel her nervous energy pulse even through her tights. “Baby,” he soothed. “Chloe was attacked outside of her home. She’s ok.” He immediately assured her as tears welled in Emily’s eyes.
“What happened?” Logan looked shocked as well. Emily’s chin trembled, and her body gave a convulsive shudder. It was too much. She adored Chloe even if they really didn’t have that much in common.
Rainer pulled her close. He wrapped his arms around her as tears began to pour down her sweet face.
“She was on the phone with Garrett. He was on his way there. She was attacked, but he got there in time. He arrested the men. She’s fine, only a few bumps and bruises. Her dad’s keeping her in the hospital overnight just to make sure she’s ok.”
“Did they attack her because of Garrett?” Logan choked as terror etched his face.
“No,” Rainer shook his head still holding Emily tightly. She pulled away from his embrace and tried futilely to wipe away the tears.
“Why did they attack Chloe?” She managed between her sobs. Rainer gazed at her adoringly. He didn’t know how to tell her that Wretchkinside’s was trying to buy the Angels. She loved being an Angel. She’d worked so hard to make this her career at least until they settled down and had a family. It was all she’d ever wanted. She’d been planning to challenge for the Angels since she was a little girl.
“Rainer,” she begged in a hushed plea. “Tell me. You’re scaring me.” Her voice quivered in her fear.
“It’s ok, Em.” Logan soothed almost without thought. He’d always looked after her, and her tears pricked his heart as well.
“Tell me,” she urged again.
“Baby, uh Wretchkinsides is going to try and buy the Angels. He had Chloe attacked to try and scare Medio Sawyer into selling his shares.” Rainer modulated his voice to what he hoped was a soothing tone. Emily shook her head combatively.
“He can’t buy us. We’re not for sale!”
Logan and Rainer shared a sickened glance as Rainer forced himself to tell her everything.
“Em, the Angels are a business just like anything else. If Wretchkinsides can become the majority stock holder, then he would be the team owner.” He choked as Emily began to sob in earnest. Logan and Adeline stood. Grief filled both of their faces.
“We’re just gonna….” Logan pointed out the door. “We’ll meet you downstairs in a little while.”
Rainer held Emily tightly and let her soak down his bare chest.
Nothing Good
A little while later, Emily was pulling off Rainer’s t-shirt and the leggings she’d put on.
“What are you doing, baby?” Rainer was still watching over her obsessively; though, she’d finally stopped crying. She offered him a weary smile.
“I can’t go to the bar of the Paris Ritz in leggings and a t-shirt, sweetheart.” She reminded him. Rainer knew she was correct, and he began changing back into his slacks and white dress shirt. People may walk around in America in all states of unsuitable clothing, but it didn’t happen in Paris.
Logan waved them over to a table in the corner of the posh bar. The heavy wood tones and lush hunter green carpet gave an intimate, quiet feel to the space. Liquor bottles were on display behind the vast marble bar. Most of them would cost more than one of his paychecks.
Rainer pulled the black, leather chair out for Emily and took the seat beside her as they waited on Vindico to arrive from the airport.
“You ok?” Logan quizzed his little sister. Emily sighed.
“I guess.”
A waitress approached, and Logan and Rainer ordered beer. Emily and Adeline each ordered a glass of wine. A few minutes later, Vindico appeared. He looked harried as he rushed towards them. He sank down in the only empty chair and sighed. He looked thoroughly exhausted. The waitress returned instantly.
“Oh, uh single malt scotch s’il vous plait.” Vindico ordered; though, it was more a command than a request. Rainer was rather impressed with how his boss had slipped into a relatively convincing French accent without much prodding. The waitress continued on in English, however.
“Highland or Lowland?” The waitress instantly turned on a flirtatious grin as she moved closer to Vindico. She blinked slowly and her back arched to add to her cleavage. With a slight eye roll, Vindico sighed.
“Lowland, if you have it.” The waitress, who was brushing her hair behind her shoulder, let her bottom lip protrude, and shoved her cleavage in Vindico’s face.
“We have everything you need, sir.” She c
ooed in a light French accent. “On zee rocks, oui?”
“No, and I’m kind of in the middle of something here.” He shut her down firmly. With a huff, the waitress returned to the bar. They made small talk until she returned with a tray of their drinks and sauntered back to the bar.
After drawing a slow, smooth sip of the whisky, Vindico swallowed and then drew a deep breath. He laid three brand new iPhones on the table, then summoned, and set the cast to keep anyone else in the relatively empty bar from being able to hear their conversation.
“I take it you told her.” Vindico gestured to Emily’s swollen, red eyes. Rainer nodded and drew another long sip of his beer. Vindico turned to Emily consolingly. He started but then paused.
“I never know what to call you.” He admitted with a slight chuckle. Emily grinned. It was the first Rainer had seen in the last several hours. He was thrilled when she added a giggle.
“As I recall, you used to call me Will and Garrett’s annoying kid sister.”
Vindico nodded and laughed his defeat.
“Yeah, that’s probably true. Sorry about that.” Logan and Rainer laughed as well.
“Emily?” Vindico tried and Emily nodded her agreement. “I will do everything in my power to make certain that Wretchkinsides never gets his mitts on the Angels. He’s without his top man since I nailed Pendergrath. I don’t think he can make the purchase unless Pendergrath gets his money and his teams back in the country.” He turned back to Logan and Rainer.
“I’ve given O’Ryan a little time off from Felsink, as he’s the one that alerted me to the attempted buy out. I informed him that the more information he coughs up the longer his reprieve will be.”
Mitchell O’Ryan’s father had been arrested several months before. Insurance fraud, fraudulent banking, bribery, and several other white-collar crimes had landed him in Felsink with a four-year sentence. As his wife was the sister of Wretchkinside’s wife, Lucinda, Vindico had turned him as an informant. He’d only serve months of his sentence in exchange for information on Wretchkinsides and the Interfeci.