Eden hung up the phone and watched Chase, still in deep conversation. Her thoughts drifted to the sight of her apartment torn apart, all of her possessions scattered everywhere. She could see the mirror marked with her lipstick, the image of the letter on the floor, the photos across her desk. Although she felt safe with Chase in his apartment, she feared the possibilities of what could happen once she crossed over the threshold.
Unexpectedly, she was on her feet. Chase had her by the shoulders, peering into her face. “Eden, are you alright? Where were you? What are you thinking about, baby?”
Blinking away the miasma she was in, she confessed her worries. “He wants me scared, and I am,” she admitted. Chase gathered her gently into his chest.
“It’s going to be ok,” Chase assured her.
“No!” She tore herself from his arms, rubbing fiercely at her tears. “This is just crazy! How can you be sure that this isn’t going to end terribly, that this isn’t going to get worse? I can’t let him win. He’s turning me into a fucking basket case.”
“Whoa! Nice mouth!” Chase picked her up and sat her on his desk. “I just know, that’s all.”
But Eden didn’t look reassured. Her tear-stained cheeks and sad eyes tugged at his heart. He just wanted to get his hands on this jerk and tear him limb from limb, make him suffer like Eden was suffering. She was so fragile and looked scared to death.
“Look, Mason got some information about this Jackson character. His team’s on it.” His soft kisses turned rough and passionate. “Eden I’m not going to let anything happen to you. You’re mine, I take care of what’s mine.”
Kissing and stroking her, he said, “Mason will be here at six to take us to your office. In the meantime…” His voice drifted off as he ran his tongue across the length of her jaw. “We could try and think of something to take your mind off things.”
He leaned her back to lie on the desk. He bent forward over her and nibbled at her neck, sending a hot bolt of electricity from her toes to the top of her head. He pressed himself against her and she felt his arousal, large and stiff. She wrapped her arms around him and held tight with a moan. She needed this; the escape would be welcome.
Reaching around, he grabbed her ass, lifting her legs onto his shoulders, grinding rhythmically against her as his cock throbbed in his pants.
“I have to have you, right here, right now, baby!” He breathed into her ear, the heat making her wet in an instant. Her mouth formed an O as a rush of air escaped her lips.
He pulled back and struggled to get her pants and panties off swiftly, then lowered his pants to rest at his ankles.
Opening his top drawer, he quickly took out a condom and tore the package open violently with his teeth and slid it over his cock, growling at her like a wolf. She bit her lip and smiled at his animalistic brutality. It was so ultra-sexy, and she felt a trickle of her juices at her slit, waiting and wanting to feel him deep inside her.
He stroked the crown of his cock over her opening a few times, and without hesitation, he started his charge into her, making her buck wildly. Her cry could be heard through the room and then a moan as he pushed deeper into her.
“Am I hurting you?” he asked, clenching his teeth, his eyes dark and sultry.
“It hurts so good, don’t stop. Oh god!” she cried out.
He buried himself to the balls, and their groans filled the air. He pulled back slowly and then thrust deep into her again. Faster and harder, he embedded his cock as deep as he could go. His cock hit her sweet spot with each drive, and she stirred to meet his rhythm, enjoying the aura as she got closer to the edge of her orgasm.
“Are you there yet, baby? I can’t hold it much longer. Wrap your legs around me and hold tight.”
“So close,” she murmured.
She did as he asked and wrapped herself around him. His strokes became hurried, and the room filled with the sounds of loud moans, rapid breathing and Chase’s balls slapping against her ass.
Eden screamed out his name as her orgasm burst from her in a fast, steady heat. Chase locked his mouth over hers, rough and possessive as he exploded, staying deep inside her while his seed flooded from him in ripples. He slowed to a stop and ran his hand over her forehead and through her hair.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” Chase said, staring into her face. She was glowing, her face sprinkled with beads of sweat. He pulled from her and discarded his condom into the trash beside his desk before sliding into his pants and helping Eden to a sitting position.
“You know you don’t have to use those, right?” Eden asked, referring to the discarded condom.
“I’ve just always used them or pulled out. I’ve never gone totally bareback,” he explained.
“I see. Time to try something new?” she asked.
“Perhaps next time,” he answered.
“What it is about men and desk sex? Do you have desk sex often? Should I be prepared for it every time we enter the room?” Eden laughed.
“No, baby. Well, maybe. That was just a bit of fun. A slight diversion, we’ll call it.”
He winked at her and reached for her panties, whirling them on the end of his finger. She snatched them from him, and slid them over her feet. He helped her off the desk, and she finished dressing.
She sat herself in the chair, and ran her hand along the edge of the desk. “You didn’t answer my question about the desk sex thing. Why do men own really big desks? Is it a primal thing?”
Chase roared with laughter. “Primal? You think that all men are chest-thumping beasts? I just like a large surface to work on, baby!”
“Very funny.” She knew that she was turning red, the heat across her face told her so.
“You keep blushing like that, and I’ll have to demonstrate the many ways to use my big desk.”
Chase’s cell phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket. “Dean,” he answered, the humor gone from his voice. “We’ll be down in five, ok?” He disconnected and took her by the hand, crossing the hall and moving her up the stairs to his room. “We have to get ready. Mason is waiting for us in the car.”
“I have nothing to wear, Chase. This is all I have.” She waved her hands at herself.
“Shit, I forgot! Come with me.” Taking her hand, he proceeded into the guest room and opened the closet doors. Filled with ladies’ clothing, shoes and shelves with accessories, it was like a fancy boutique she could only dream of shopping in. Eden looked at him, her eyebrows raised in question.
“Don’t ask, just find something. I’m going to go change, and I’ll meet you downstairs. Don’t take too long.”
She quickly picked a skirt and blouse. She even found pretty lace panties and figured why not. A light sweater completed the ensemble. She could wear her own shoes. She quickly dressed in the washroom, brushed her hair and made her way downstairs to meet Chase.
He stood in the foyer, dressed all in black. With his raven hair, he looked like a secret agent and she tingled all over. “Ready, Eden?” he asked, offering his hand. She gladly slid her hand in his, and they stepped into the elevator.
“You look nice,” he said, looking her over.
“Thank you; you do too.”
The elevator door opened. Mason moved forward, and in a sweep, she was moved out the elevator and into the waiting black Tahoe, complete with black tinted glass. She sat between the two men feeling very snuggled and safe.
“Hi, sweetheart.” Mason smiled to Eden.
“Hi, Mason.” She adjusted herself in her seat, making sure that she was descent.
Looking at Chase, Mason handed him a tablet. Chase scrolled through page after page. Eden tried to get a glance, but, being at a disadvantage height wise, she saw nothing. “This is good news, man,” Chase said, handing the tablet back to Mason.
“This Hartley asshole has been sighted around town. We have men on his tail, but he’s a real slippery fucker. He managed to sneak out of sight a few times.” Mason looked down at Eden and assured her, “It’ll j
ust be a matter of time, sweetheart, before we get him.”
They pulled up in front of the firm and Mason jumped from the truck, running around to escort the pair inside to the security desk. “I’ll wait down here for you two,” Mason said, scouring the lobby.
“Thanks, man,” Chase said, as he placed his hand at Eden’s back, moving with her to the waiting elevator.
“I’m going to go see Hawthorn. You get your stuff together, and wait for me in your office, ok?” Chase ordered but put it in the form of a question, when he realized just how much she was shaking. He left the elevator, and waited for it to close before heading off down the hall.
Eden moved quickly, gathering up all of her gear into a case. She took the envelope of photos from her drawer and shoved it into her sweater pocket. She scanned over her desk and drawing table, making sure she had all she needed.
Needing to splash some water onto her face while she could still move, she walked to the powder room. Her nerves getting the better of her, she felt jumpy and ill. Perhaps Chase had been right; she would have never been able to spend an entire day here by herself, not the way she was feeling. Being away from this place for a while was for the best.
She opened the door and turned the light on. Stepping into the tiny powder room, she reached for a facecloth, turned on the tap, and stood in horror when she saw the white envelope taped to the mirror.
Tearing it from the mirror, she opened the envelope and saw that it was another letter and a photo of her and Chase dancing at The Rooftop restaurant during their first time meeting. She opened the letter with caution and studied the words written in red.
I’m not happy, Dollface!
Who’s the guy? You better not be fucking him or you’re both dead!
Remember I own you!
Officer Kelly entered the office cautiously after knocking several times with no response from Eden. Security had assured him that she was in. Observing the surroundings, he noted that her open purse sat on the desk, as well as a briefcase revealing her drawing supplies and paperwork. Not like a woman to leave her purse open for just anyone to see. He heard the sound of water running. Looking in the direction of a half-open door off to the side of the room, he slowly moved toward it.
“Miss Fox?” he called to no avail. He sensed that something was not quite right when she did not reply.
He drew his gun from its holster and inched to the door. Leaning to the side he slowly opened the door with his free hand and peered around the frame, his revolver ready to fire. He saw Eden sitting on the edge of the toilet with her head in her hands.
Kelly was quick to holster his weapon and moved to her side, placing his hand on her shoulder as he softly spoke her name. “Miss Fox?” She jumped. She was shaking like a leaf and handed him the letter and photo, conveying to him how she came into possession of them.
Kelly turned the tap off and unwrinkled the note after examining the photo. He read the content and reached up to the radio on his shoulder, communicating information in codes that Eden didn’t understand.
“Let’s get you out of here.” He took her by the elbow and directed her to sit on the love seat across the room.
Two officers came in. Kelly shared the letter with them in a huddle, talking low enough that she could not hear what they discussed, not that she really cared at all. They moved swiftly around the room, one taking a post in the office doorway, the other guarding the washroom door.
“Are you ok, Miss Fox? Can I get you some water?” Kelly asked.
“No, thank you. I’m just feeling a bit shaken, I guess.”
An older, heavyset man in a rather shabby gray suit with a ratty cigar hanging from his mouth made his way into the office. He inspected his surroundings before concentrating on Kelly and Eden. They were writing her statement and noticed him immediately. She watched him searching through his pockets and fumbling with a notepad and nub of a pencil. He reminded her of the bumbling detective Columbo because he was so entertaining to watch. He removed his cigar and put the tip of his pencil to his tongue, wetting the lead before addressing her.
“Did you come here alone, Miss Fox?” he asked in a gruff tone without an introduction. “Have you been here all day?”
Eden shook her head and answered the odd man. “No, I got here maybe twenty minutes ago. Mr. Dean brought me to collect some of my things so that I could work from his home office.”
Never making an attempt at eye contact, he asked, “Who and where would this Mr. Dean be now?” He raised his notepad and scribbled as they spoke.
“I’m right here,” Chase called from the guarded doorway. Kelly put his hand up, and gestured for the officer to let him enter.
“What the hell’s going on, and who are you?” Chase asked, looking around the room from Kelly to Eden and then suspiciously at the stranger. He sat beside Eden, taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles softly. “Did something happen?”
Eden looked from the detective to Kelly, then to Chase and slightly nodded her head. “Yes.”
“Detective Blackstock,” the stranger announced, making no attempt to offer a handshake to either of them and barely making eye contact. “So you’re her husband, boyfriend…what?” This man was cold and callus, and Chase was visibly annoyed.
“Friend. Why does that matter?” Chase questioned with disgust.
Blackstock shrugged. “It doesn’t. I was simply asking.” He kept writing silently before finally making eye contact with Eden. The dubious look in his eye made her nervous, causing her to drop her gaze to her lap.
Kelly handed the Detective the letter and photo. He viewed them, and looked from Eden to Chase and back again. Handing them to Kelly, he made a grunt before scribbling on his notepad.
“So Miss Fox…are these letters the only contact this Mr. Hartley has had with you? No phone calls, texts, emails?”
“Wait, letters? I thought you only got one letter.” Chase looked at her, waiting for a reply.
“I found another letter here in the washroom and a photo of us dancing together. No, Detective. No phone calls or anything else.”
“Shit, that was months ago,” Chase exclaimed. “How did you get here so fast?” Chase asked Officer Kelly.
“We came to speak with Miss Fox. We were already in the building. I found her in the office washroom,” Kellyexplained.
“What did you want to speak to me about?” Eden probed.
The tension in the room could be cut with a knife, making her very uncomfortable. Chase watched the detective guardedly, and the detective seemed suspicious of Chase and her, eyeing up the pair as he looked around the room taking notes. He took a pencil from her desk and looked through the contents of her purse and briefcase. “You don’t mind do you?” he asked, and Eden shook her head no.
The way he rummaged through her things and lifted a suspicious eye to her from time to time was unnerving her. There was nothing to hide, nothing she needed to worry about. She was frightened, though, that this detective was much smarter than he looked and would figure out that they were sleeping together, and it would come out in the open. Hawthorn would fire her.
Chase turned to the door. “That’s Mason, my private security man. I want him in on this conversation. You mind if he listens in?”
“That would be up to Miss Fox to decide. If it’s ok with you, Miss Fox, I don’t give a damn.” Blackstock took in the sight of the man as he walked past the officers, making them look small and insignificant.
“Yes, I trust Mason, he should be here.” She looked over to him, and gave him a slight smile as he moved to stand behind her, placing a protective hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently. His gesture warmed her heart and she patted his large hand.
“We ran a background check and found military records for Mr. Hartley. It seems that he was dishonorably discharged from the army. After being charged with attempted murder against a fellow officer, he escaped and did a disappearing act. We also found his fingerprints linked to several sexual assaul
t cases.”
Eden raised her hand to her mouth and took in a deep breath. “Oh my god!”
Blackstock fanned through his notepad pages. “That’s not everything. Jackson Hartley is wanted by the FBI for the murder of a police officer in Austin, Texas, during an attempted robbery.”
Watching Eden intently as he spoke, Blackstock informed her, “Miss Fox, we believe that your life is in danger. With the new evidence you supplied today, Mr. Dean may be a new target.” He stared at them, putting his notepad back in his pocket and replacing his cigar to the corner of his mouth.
“What did the letter say?” Chase asked the detective, who reached his hand to Kelly. Kelly handed him the letter, now sealed in a plastic sleeve, and Chase read the words while Mason read it over his shoulder.
Chase and Mason shared unspoken stares. The air felt heavy with testosterone. Mason took his phone from his pocket, blasting into action, texting at the speed of light. Chase took out his phone after excusing himself and started making calls.
Drawing his attention away from the pair, Blackstock said quietly, “Miss Fox, I’m going to assign around-the-clock officers to watch Mr. Dean’s penthouse. I understand that’s the address where you’re presently residing? I strongly suggest you go there and stay there.”
“I’m staying there for now. I don’t have anywhere else I can go.” Hearing the words that left her mouth, she looked to see that Chase was too preoccupied to notice and sighed with relief. She didn’t want to hurt him when he was taking such good care of her.
“Sir?” Eden whispered to get the detective’s attention as he scowled at Chase. “Please find Jackson before he finds me. I have no doubt that if he does…he’ll kill me, and Chase too.”
“We’ll do our best to make sure that he’s found. I think with these two around, he won’t get near you.” Blackstock eyed the pair, not amused at all.
“I hope you’re right,” Eden whispered to the detective as she watched the show going on between Mason and Chase at the far side of the room. Her brow furrowed as she wondered what they were up to. Her attention drawn in both directions made her head spin.
Eden's Pleasure (Pulse Book 1) Page 16