Little Bird (Caged #1)

by M Dauphin

  “Fuck,” she groans and this feeling of wanting to keep her from unwarranted pain washes over me.

  What the hell is that all about?

  “It’s me, Megan. It’s Luke, I’ve got you.”

  Her eyes flutter but she can’t keep them open. I clean the wound as I stitch, tightly adhering her flesh back together and for some reason feeling guilty for the scar she’ll have. Though, she’s covered in them… This girl’s story keeps getting more fucked up.

  Every now and then she groans but that’s the extent of her consciousness. I’m not certain how deep this stab goes, but from the amount of blood, she’s going to be hurting for a while. That’s when I remember her back.

  “I have to clean your back. Can you roll to your side for me, Birdie?” I’m not sure what possessed me to use that name. Maybe it’s my urge to make her feel as comfortable as I can at this very moment in time, but the second it slipped from my lips her eyes flew open and now she’s glaring at me.

  “The fuck y—” she hisses, probably because her dumb ass just tried moving her head too fast, then reaches for her neck. Her hand finds the gauze I just placed over the stitches and she blinks a few times before looking at me. “What did you do?” Her voice is raspy but she’s definitely got that same attitude she’s had since day one.

  Well played, Ms. Porter.

  “I saved your goddamned life. A ‘thank you’ would suffice.” I stand from the bed, busying myself with cleaning up the bloodied towels and throwing out the soaked rags.

  “How’d you get in my fucking house?” She tries to sit up to look at me but doesn’t get far.

  “I let myself in. I guess finding you passed out on the floor of your garage covered in blood and a fucking python is as good of a reason as any to let myself in.”

  Ungrateful comes to mind when thinking of words to describe her anger. She’s not even fully awake yet and she’s already pissed at me for being here. No ‘thank you’ or anything for saving her life.

  “Jasper,” she breathes his name and closes her eyes. “I’m going to kill the fucker.”

  That little threat alone makes me chuckle. She’s cute when she’s pissed.

  “I think you’re going to need some pain meds but all I found was bandages and shit in the bathroom. Where are your heavy meds? That’s gonna hurt when you fully wake up.” I nod towards her neck.

  “The painting in the bathroom.” She lets out a groan and her hand covers the wound on her neck as she winces. “Shit. The painting in the bathroom. Push the top right corner.”

  I turn around and head back into the bathroom. Opening the painting, it swings open and reveals a stash of probably thousands of dollars worth of high-end shit that definitely doesn’t belong in any random person’s house. After grabbing a few different bottles, I fill a cup with water from the sink and return to see her sitting up more.

  “Got enough drugs in there?” Tossing the bottles at her, I set the water on the side table and watch her start to read the labels, deciding how she’s going to take the edge off.

  Ignoring me, she pulls out a few pills and swallows them down before putting her fingers to her neck again. “Did you stitch me?” Her eyes narrow suspiciously.

  “I did. Boy Scouts one-O-one.” I grin at her when she rolls her eyes. Fuck if I know if Boy Scouts learn that shit, I never went through those stages, but it seems to silence the questions.

  “Did anyone else see me in the garage?”

  “I can’t say, honestly. There wasn’t a lot of blood on the ground around you so I’m assuming you hadn’t been there long. I got you inside and closed the door so I think it’s safe to assume it’s just you and me.” I sit on the bed, close enough to reach out and touch her but I don’t. If she’s ever going to let me past those walls and let me see the real Megan, I need to gain her trust.

  “No one can know about this. Strictly for my tenants’ piece of mind. They’re old, they wouldn’t understand and they would worry themselves to death.”

  “So what the hell happened anyway? It’s not every day you find a naked chick with a stab wound to the neck and a python wrapped around her, passed out in a garage.”

  Her eyes find mine and she stares at me. I see her calculating what to say. It won’t be the truth but she doesn’t know how to twist this into some sort of accident.

  “I need to rest.” The glass goes to her lips and her eyes drift away from mine.

  “I know you’re not the type of person to rat anyone out, Megs.” I grin, knowing how much she hates that nickname. I saw the hell burning in her eyes the last time I used it. “You’d never tell me how one little sexual act was taken too far, or how a boyfriend was just joking when he sliced the knife through your neck… that’s ok. I can find out.” I shrug and stand, taking the empty glass out of her hands and walking to refill it.

  “Thank you,” she mumbles after I hand her the full glass. “You can’t go to the police, Luke. My lifestyle choices in the bedroom have no business going public. There’s nothing for you to find out. No one to rat out.” Her eyes burrow into mine almost like she’s silently trying to threaten me. “I have a very fucked up imagination when I’m solo.”

  I laugh at her trying to convince me she was alone.

  “I’d love to be a fly on the wall when that happens.” I grin at her, trying my hardest to get through to her however I can.

  So far she’s been fifty percent lies and fifty percent sex on legs.

  And Jesus Christ those legs.

  “I’m sure you would. Please leave.”

  “That’s it? You were just stabbed, Megan. You can’t think being alone right now is safe.” I’m not leaving that easily.

  “I wasn’t stabbed!” she growls. “Please. Leave,” she says through gritted teeth. “I don’t know what you’re searching for but this is nothing like you’re thinking. Accidents happen. Just go.”

  “Accidents like this happen? Once is enough. When he comes back are you going to be able to fight him off this time? I mean… There’s no snake wrapped around you this time, but the neck wound and the back slices are leaving you pretty weak right about now. Plus those meds you just took are going to be kicking in soon. You sure you want to be alone if he comes back?” Shoving my hands in my pockets, I know I’m going to be leaving soon, but I can’t help but egg her on.

  She’s sexy when she’s pissed.

  With a sigh, she sets the glass next to her bed. “There is no one coming back. There is no one trying to hurt me. If it makes you feel better.” She gestures toward the bedroom door. “By all means, you can camp out on my front porch all night.” A bitchy smile tilts her lips until a pain hits her and I almost smirk. Little bitch.

  “I just might do that, Megan.” I smile at her pain and walk towards the door. “Nobody but me fucks with you.” Turning on my heel, I leave before I can see her face, but I know there’s a snarky response on its way.

  “What?” she snaps. “Luke!” she calls out my name. “What did you just say?” I hear rustling then I hear her hit the floor but I don’t go back.

  I need to get back inside to a quiet house before my dick starts to think it’s okay to fuck a severely injured chick. Just the feisty attitude and the fire in her eyes tonight was enough to make me regret wrapping that blanket around her so soon. I wish I could have enjoyed the view more.

  Four fingers of whiskey and I’m starting to forget the look in her eyes today when I left her with those words.

  No one but me fucks with you.

  She doesn’t even know the extent of the meaning of those words. I can’t fucking stand liars and if she’s one thing other than sexy as hell, it’s a liar. I can’t wait to make her beg.

  Looking at my phone, the anger from earlier starts to come back. How the fuck could he do that to her… to me?! As pissed off as I am that she’s so fucking good at hiding her tracks, I’m ten times more pissed at Jasper for pulling that shit when it’s my job. My issue. I pull up his number and hit send before I ca
n even think about what I’m going to say to him. I’ll just let the alcohol do the talking.

  “What?” he growls, then I hear a woman laughing in the background.

  “What the fuck do you think you were doing here today?” I’ve never fought with him, but he was out of line today in so many ways.

  Treating me like he did.

  Stabbing his fucking employee and leaving her with a fucking python wrapped around her neck. All of this shit which draws attention when you leave the woman to die.

  He’s losing it.

  “You better watch what you say to me, you lucky fucking bastard. I saved your goddamned life.” There’s a lightness in his voice, like it doesn’t phase him at all that he left her for dead.

  “We’re not talking about me, Jasper! You fucking stabbed her in the neck! I’m here for a motherfucking job and you come in and stomp on everything I’m working on!”

  “You sure it’s not just because you’re jealous I’m fucking the hottest piece of ass in that little community? Can’t seem to bag anyone lately, huh, Ace?”

  “That’s completely uncalled for.” I can’t deny the fact that I want to fuck her brains out, but I’m not about to let on how attracted I am to her goddamned body. “You need to keep your dick in your pants when it comes to your employees, Jasper.”

  “You’re a cunt, just like her. This has nothing to do with whatever you’re thinking, Ace. You need to drop it before you find yourself in a hellhole of trouble. ” His voice has turned poisonous but I don’t back down. He sounds high as a motherfucking kite right now, and whatever he’s on has him saying shit he knows better than to say.

  “I don’t know what the fuck this was because you won’t fucking tell me, Jasper. I had to stitch her throat back together and bandage her back because it looks like you took a motherfucking steak knife to her!”

  “You don’t even know what you’re getting into. You should have let the bitch die and all this would have been over.” He groans and I hear a woman murmur something to him, then the line goes dead.

  Motherfucker.

  ***

  The next morning I wake up with a massive headache and anger simmering at the tipping point. I have the urge to take a run to her house to make sure she’s okay this morning, but the fucking sun isn’t even up yet.

  Give it time, Lucas.

  After gaining remote access to her laptop, I’m still finding nothing at all that sends up red flags. What I am finding though is a shit ton of pictures of her and that motherfucking bird. The bird that she never got back.

  That’s when I know what I have to do. Stitching her up and saving her life won’t be enough for her to let me stay. I have to play these cards perfectly or else I may actually fail this case. It’s become a mission. I could have all this over in a matter of hours with no solid answers, but now I want to know. I want to find out what she’s done and how. I really assumed she’d have a mess of clues and answers for me, but there’s nothing and Jasper’s adamant there isn’t ‘nothing’.

  After a quick shower, I toss on shorts and a t-shirt and am out the door, Google searching the closest pet shop.

  Three hours and a few hundred dollars later, I’m standing on her front porch with nerves starting to make me feel like this might have been a bad idea. Pressing the doorbell, I stand and wait for her to swing the door open, ready for a fight. She’s got that attitude about her… always on guard and ready, even if she doesn’t mean to show it.

  The door opens and she’s wearing a turtleneck dress thing… It’s eighty and sunny out. But I guess she has to hide what I imagine is a fucked up sight under there.

  “Lucas,” she cautiously says my full name I never gave her permission to call me. But I guess she never told me to call her Megs either. Her eyes glance around behind me. “What’re you doing here? I’m fine. I’m sorry how you found me. And thank you. For… what you did. But I’m fine.”

  “Are you going to let me talk or just keep rambling on and on? I mean, I know I’m good-looking and all, but there’s no need to be nervous around me.” Quirking up a slight grin, her eyes momentarily go wide before the mask returns.

  “As attractive as you may be, you always seem to remind me why beauty is only skin deep.” Her door partially closes. “What do you want?”

  “Well.” I clear my throat, hiding the amusement in my voice as best as I can. “I looked all over for your bird,” I lie, “but I never found any traces. So…” I hold up the small cage with the bright yellow canary inside and smile. “I brought you a new one.”

  Her eyebrows are high and her mouth is hanging open as she stares at the cage. “A bird? You bought me a bird to replace Pretty Bird?”

  “I mean… nothing can replace Pretty Bird. But, I bought you another bird to… stink up your house.” I can’t mask the smile on my face and she’s still staring at me with the confused and surprised expression.

  She finally rolls her eyes and pushes open the door, stepping to the side. “I know how to care for my pets, Lucas. My bird did not stink up my house.” She gestures me inside.

  “You seem to have cared for your snake pretty damn well too.”

  She gasps but before I see the anger on her face, she dulls it down, giving the door a firm shove so it slams. I expect a smartass remark, her to tell me I’m vile and idiotic. Instead, I get slammed in the chest and shoved against the door.

  “Who are you and what the fuck do you want?” Her weak attempt at forcing my hand is cute.

  Jasper was right, she isn’t stupid, but she’s not smart enough to outsmart Lucas Acey. I take her hands and move them back to her side, slipping around her while I walk to the kitchen and smile setting the bird on the kitchen table.

  Extending my hand I say, “Hi, my name’s Lucas. I’m a computer geek at heart and I love solitaire.” I’m laying on the charm way too fucking thick just to get in her pants and finish this job. I could get so many other chicks way easier than this one.

  “Why the fuck won’t you leave me alone? And why’d you bring me a bird!” she shrieks, glaring at the fucker that won’t stop whistling a happy little tune.

  I have a feeling I’m going to wake up to a yellow bird head in my bed.

  “You looked so sad when Pretty Bird got out. And… there was a sale.” I shrug and shove my hands in my pockets. “Uh… so about that whole having to be out in a week thing?”

  “Jesus Christ,” she mutters dropping her head. “A fucking bird sale. Did you buy me a bird so you can have more time to clean out your family’s house?” she snaps. “After you saved my damn life, I think I can give you the time you need. I just expect you not to be a dick and to realize the longer you’re there, it puts off me selling the place.”

  “I can live with that. I mean… I did save your life. That’s what? A month’s worth of rent? Maybe two? I just love this little community so much.” Playing the nephew card is getting really fucking old. One of these days there’s going to be a ‘golly gee’ slip and I don’t think I’ll be able to come back from that one.

  “I’m not stupid.” She leans against the counter and looks over at the birdcage. “You’re not just here because you love the community.” Her eyes roll as she opens the cage door. “I think you have a little crush on me. And I’m flattered.” She’s holding the bird in her grasp and running her fingernail over the back of its neck, looking like she might pierce it with the dagger-like nail. “But I’m not entirely sure you’re my type. And I can guarantee I’m not your type. You’ve witnessed for yourself that my sexual kink is a lot fucked up. A world you probably couldn’t even comprehend.” She opens her hand but the bird doesn’t fly away. I’m just grateful the psychopath didn’t kill the fucking thing while I’m standing here.

  “Have you ever been wrong about someone in your life, Megan? Maybe if you look past the clothes they wear and the car they drive you’ll actually grow to get some friends in this lonely little life of yours.”

  She looks up at me before letting m
y insult sink in and slides her hand towards the birdcage, watching the little yellow fuzzball hop back inside.

  “This is how we differ, Lucas. A man like you needs… wants friends. A woman like me is more concerned with herself. I don’t need people in my way. I don’t need lust-struck men trying to buy their way into my bed. You want in my bed?” Her eyes narrow and she takes a step toward me, her hand landing on my chest before she slowly slides downward. “Bring a snake,” she says right before cupping me; I can feel the heat from her palm through my pants but she’s not touching me yet.

  She stops just short of the goal and she’s about to pull away but my hand clamps onto her wrist and her eyes fly to mine as my grip on her arm tightens. Sliding it down, I can see her breath speed up as I reach my crotch.

  Her hand slides over my dick, already hard from this one show of power, and I lean in and whisper in her ear, “I already have one, ready and waiting, Megs.”

  She smells so fucking good like that Jasmine and honey lotion or perfume.

  Leaning in just a bit closer, my hand on hers as she voluntarily tightens her grip on me, my lips go to her ear and nip gently. I grin, watching the goosebumps rise on her skin. Then she chuckles… like I’m a fool and yanks her hand out of my grasp and walks around me.

  “Thanks for the bird,” she says opening the front door. “You don’t have the snake I need. He was big enough, but performance is everything.” Her eyes are on my crotch. “I just don’t think you could keep up. Besides, I’m seeing someone.”

  “He seems like a goddamned winner too. Get rid of that dead snake yet?” I stop on her porch and turn to look at her.

  Her fist is tight around the doorknob and she’s very obviously holding back slamming the door in my face. That rage is going to be fantastic to fuck out of her.

  “If you’re too bothered by the games I like to play.” She starts closing the door. “I don’t think you’ll ever make it to my bedroom.”

  “I’m not bothered, Megs. I just know how to fuck without needing the props.” I wink at her and head down the front steps.