by Tawny Taylor
She started with, “The girl on the news this morning.”
“Which girl?”
“The one that’s dead. Someone found her early this morning in Detroit. I knew her. I knew her well. We worked together.”
“And ...?”
Now what? She sipped some water, forcing it past the huge congealed lump in her throat. “She’s the second one to be discovered dead this week. Two girls. Both murdered. And I knew them.”
“Are you thinking you might be in danger?”
I want to tell him everything. But dammit, Holloway’s in the CIA. If he said my gun was used in the murder, and the police have it, then I have to believe him. If it isn’t true, which I have no reason to believe, then it will be. “Both those girls left right before I did. I never got the whole story about either of them, but the rumor was they’d both been bought back by family members. There were five of us that got out of it that way. Two are dead.”
“And the others?”
“I don’t know. I’m one of them, of course. I don’t know where the other two are. Someone needs to warn them.”
“Have you received any threats?”
“None.” That was a lie, but she couldn’t see any way around it. She needed to keep Malek’s focus on the other girls. That way Holloway wouldn’t have any reason to suspect him. If Holloway made good on his threat, she might be facing trial for two murders. Maybe three.
Was there any way out of this fucking situation?
“Have you received any strange calls? Noticed anyone following. . .” His brows scrunched. “Didn’t you ask me if I was tailing you the other night?”
“As I said, I was just mistaken.”
“It’s possible one has nothing to do with the other, but you still need to be careful. We need to find out why those women were killed.”
“I thought the same thing. That’s why I went to Eve’s funeral and talked to her grandmother. One minute I was sitting there, the next, she was shot, too. In the head. Execution style. In the middle of the funeral home. This is too dangerous. It’s a matter for the police, not a couple of wannabe detectives. We need to be cautious and let the police do their thing. But maybe we could try to find the other girls and warn them.”
Malek grumbled something under his breath. He shoved his fingers through his hair. “Why didn’t you tell me this? I gave my word. I promised to keep you safe.”
“I haven’t left this house since then.”
“Good. And you won’t leave. Not until I find out what the hell is going on.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet. But I can’t sit around and do nothing.”
“The other girls. I think we should focus on finding them.”
“Don’t worry, Lei. I’ll find out who killed those girls and I’ll stop him.”
“Please don’t do that, Malek. I would feel horrible if something happened to you. Look at that nice old lady. She’s dead now, and nobody knows why. Maybe she found out something she shouldn’t have. Maybe she poked her nose into something she shouldn’t have.” Lei couldn’t sit still for another second. She slid off the bench and went to refill her glass. “All I want is to live a normal life. I want to forget everything that happened then. Put it behind me. Move on. But here I am, cowering in the shadows. That . . . bastard . . . controlling my life. I might as well still be a slave.”
“Don’t say that.” Malek caught her chin and tipped it up so her eyes met his. “Do you hear me? Don’t ever say such a thing. You’re free. And no one can control you anymore. You. Are. Free.”
Her eyes were burning and she blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Still her vision blurred. “Is this hell ever going to end?”
“Yes, it is. Because I am going to make sure it does. But you’ve got to trust me. You have to do what I say until we figure out what’s going on and who’s behind it.”
For a fraction of a second, she wanted to believe Malek could beat Holloway at his game. Then she came to her senses. Of course he couldn’t. How could he? He was a good man, yes. Strong. Kind. Intelligent. But he didn’t have the connections to protect her from someone like Holloway. “We can’t figure it out. We don’t have all the facts.”
“We will. And once we do, you’ll be free to do whatever you want, whenever you want. For the rest of your life. You with me?”
Lei’s nod wasn’t big, but it was a nod of agreement. She wasn’t going to convince him to give it up, after she had brought it to his attention in the first place. The best she could hope to do was hold him back a little, steer him in a safer direction.
“You told me about this because you want my help. Well, I’m going to give it to you. And I’m going to make sure you never regret trusting me.”
She was already regretting trusting him as little as she had. “What’s next?”
“I want to go to the school and see about registering for classes. After that... I don’t know. I should call Drako—”
“No, please don’t do that,” she cut him off, grabbing his arm. “Don’t tell Drako about this.” She grappled for a reason to keep this ugly mess from his older brother, knowing that could put her in even hotter water. “He’ll tell my sister and she’ll worry. She’s pregnant. It isn’t good for her to worry right now.”
“But I need to let him know what’s going on.” Swiveling the stool to face her, he pulled on the back of hers to swing her around to face him, too. “He won’t tell Rin. I promise.” Lei was sure she could believe that one. “There are some things you don’t know about my brothers and me. Very important things.” She wondered if those things were related to what Holloway wanted. “A secret like this could cause serious problems for all of us. I can’t keep it from him. No way. But I guarantee Drako will take your sister’s health in mind. He can’t risk upsetting her.”
“Malek, please, can’t you just put me on house arrest and look for the other girls?”
“Trust me, Lei. If there’s anyone in the world you can trust with a secret, it’s me. And Drako and Talen.”
6
It was him. Again.
Immediately, Lei’s hands started shaking, her heart racing. What now? What?
Her phone, set on vibrate, hummed as it rang a third time. One more ring and it would go to voice mail. One more ring and she wouldn’t have to hear his next threat.
She hit the button, but didn’t say a word.
“I always knew you were an intelligent woman,” he said. “Smart move answering.”
“What do you want?” she whispered.
“I don’t ‘want’ anything. I thought I’d let you know that I’ve been in contact with the lead on a certain murder case, and he tells me they’re looking for a woman who fits your description. He called her a ‘person of interest.’ ”
“Well, I had nothing to do with anyone’s death. I think you’re bluffing.”
“Bluffing? Are you sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m sure. You’re lying. About the gun. About everything. You just want to scare me so I’ll do what you say.”
“I guess you’d better hope your alibi stands up.”
“This is just a scare tactic,” she said, her teeth gritted so hard her temples throbbed. “I don’t know anything about a murder or about some stupid secret. Leave me alone!” She cut off the call, dropped her phone, and covered her face with her trembling hands.
She was caught in a nightmare, and she couldn’t wake up.
A couple of hours later, Malek returned and proudly proclaimed he was now a registered student at the University of Michigan. He added, somewhat sheepishly, that he’d invited a guest over.
Malek’s “guest” was attractive, if you like them skinny, blond, and stupid. Lei didn’t. She was actually very surprised Malek did. Upon entering the house, Jodi gushed nonstop about how gorgeous the decor was. Malek played host, giving her the grand tour and introducing her to Lei.
Then Jodi discovered the pool. At the proclamation, “Ohmygod
, look at this pool. We should go skinny dipping,” Lei headed upstairs to do some research online. She was not in the mood to watch that little tramp throw her skinny little ass at Malek.
What was he thinking?
The echo of that woman’s grating laughter followed her all the way up to the second floor. Lei was almost glad when she stopped laughing. Then she considered the most likely reason for her silence.
Lei’s blood burned in her veins.
She was freaking jealous.
This was so bad.
After staring at her computer screen for an hour, she was sleepy, her neck was stiff, and she needed to get off her butt and move around. She layered on some warm clothes and, listening for the sound of Malek and his friend, headed out the back door for a walk.
The air was crisp and smelled like frozen earth. The crunchy leaves crackled underfoot as she made her way through the wooded part of the property to her favorite spot.
She realized, unfortunately, that the little wood gazebo sitting next to the river was inhabited. It seemed Malek had brought his guest outside. And that was why they’d become so quiet.
Lei slumped against a nearby tree and tried to pretend they weren’t there. The river was gray and sluggish. Thin ice formed a crust that reached out a couple of feet from the banks. And the breeze gusting across its surface sent the smell of water and life to her nose. Winter was here—dull, gray, dreary winter. There wasn’t a thing about the season she liked. And with Rin gone for at least the next month or so, she’d like it even less than normal.
The sound of Jodi’s chuckle filled the silence.
Lei hoped Jodi wouldn’t become a repeat houseguest. Keeping her word that she wouldn’t leave the house without a bodyguard would be almost impossible.
For some reason, her gaze kept sliding along the river’s edge and inching toward the stupid gazebo. It didn’t help that she was in a bad spot. From her vantage, she could see Malek and his new friend cozied up on the big, fluffy, built-for-two chaise lounger. They had a pile of blankets on themselves, but she could see enough to know what they were doing. At the moment, they were lying on their sides, facing each other. Jodi’s hand was resting on Malek’s cheek. And he was kissing her. They were both oblivious to the fact that they had an audience.
Then again, considering Malek’s leanings, he probably didn’t give a damn who was watching. He had no qualms about fucking in public. She’d learned that after attending a private party hosted by a mutual acquaintance a few weeks ago.
Jodi moaned, and once again, Lei jerked her gaze away.
She should just leave. Why was she standing there, spying, anyway? It was pretty creepy, when she thought about it.
She moved on, following the river’s bank as it meandered through the Alexandre brothers’ acreage. Occasionally, a rabbit would scamper out of a hiding spot, or a bird would flap its wings and take flight, the sudden sounds startling her. Otherwise, the natural world around her was quiet. The longer she stayed out here, the safer she felt. Safe and completely at peace.
If only she could live out here, away from the noise and distraction of the brothers and all their friends. And away from that bastard Holloway and his stupid threats. All she needed was a small space, something cozy and comfortable and private. Nothing like that ridiculous house up on the hill.
Before long, the blustery wind got the better of her, and her fingers went numb. She shoved her hands in her pockets, shrugged her shoulders against the cold, and turned back. When she rounded the bend that passed by the gazebo, she realized there was only one person sitting on the chaise now.
Malek waved her over.
She went.
He flipped the cover back and patted the seat. “You look cold.”
“It’s a bit brisk out here.” She reluctantly sat—on the edge of the cushion. She pulled the cover over her shoulders. “Where’s your friend Jodi?”
“She had to leave.”
“Ah, that’s too bad.” She tried to take the sarcastic edge off her voice. She failed.
He chuckled. “Not a fan of Jodi?”
She shrugged. “She seems all right.”
“She’s more Talen’s taste than mine.” He patted the cushion again. “Why don’t you scoot over a bit? You can warm up better over here.”
She felt her nose crinkling. There was something strange about settling in, right where another woman had been a few minutes ago. Lei had a feeling the seat was still warm from her body heat. Ugh, what is with the jealousy? “I’m good right where I am. Thanks.”
“Lei, I promise I won’t try anything. I know how sensitive you are.”
“I’m . . .” She turned and looked at him. He had such a sweet expression on his face, somewhat pleading. She scooted a little closer. No more than an inch or two. “There. That’s as far as I go.”
Malek flung the cover over her and inched closer still. “At least it’s a little better.”
Silence.
Lei stared out at the smooth water and sighed. “I love this spot. It’s so peaceful out here. Quiet. Removed from all the traffic and noise.”
“It is nice.”
“Did you and your brothers buy the house?” she asked, struggling to find a safe topic, a distraction so she wouldn’t think about Holloway. Or Jodi. Or how close Malek was, how good he smelled. How warm he was. “Or did you have it built?”
“We built it.”
“Why didn’t you build back here?”
“I don’t remember. Might’ve had something to do with the water table being too high to lay a solid foundation.”
“I guess that makes sense, sort of.” Lei pointed at the houses dotting the landscape on the opposite side of the river. “Though those people seem to have found a way around the problem.”
Malek cleared his throat. “It seems they have.” Being this close to Lei was killing him. But that was nothing new. His balls were so tight he was gritting his teeth. And his blood was simmering so hotly in his veins he was sweating. But there was no way in hell he was putting an end to his suffering. It would be her choice, not his.
After his short visit with Jodi—a total waste of time—he’d come to one conclusion. He couldn’t give up on Lei yet. He was going to keep pushing her, keep winding those little threads between them. That was the way he’d win her: one delicate silken thread at a time.
He said, “You know, my brothers and I have always planned to build three houses on this property, one for each of us. I’m about to meet with the architect to begin work on mine. Maybe I should talk to him about building back here?”
“You should.” Lei made a small frame with her hands. “You should put a huge wall of windows facing the water. It’s a million-dollar view. Especially in the fall, when all the trees have changed.”
“That sounds like a good idea. Do you have any other suggestions? I don’t know anything about designing houses. That’s why I’ve put it off for so long.”
“I have plenty of ideas. I love to read books about home design. It’s another hobby of mine.”
This could definitely work for him. From the sparkly eyes he could tell it was more than a hobby for her. It was a genuine passion. He hoped someday her eyes would sparkle like that for him, about him.
“Would you do me a favor, then, and meet with my architect? I’m afraid if I don’t have someone help me, I’m bound to design the ugliest house on the street.”
The sparkles dimmed a little. “Oh, I don’t know. You should build the house of your dreams. Not mine. But I could loan you some books for inspiration.”
He was inspired already. He didn’t need any damn books. “I’ve looked at plenty of books. But those are just pictures. I don’t know what I want, what I like.” He turned on the charm. “Please, Lei.”
She met his gaze, then huffed out a little sigh. “You are a hard man to say no to.”
He hoped that statement would apply to lots of other things in the future. He amped up the wattage on his grin. It was gettin
g easier and easier to be this way with Lei, to relax and let down his guard and have fun. He liked the man he became when he was with her, even if he was a little softer, a little more pliant.
Brittle things cracked under pressure. They broke. Like concrete. In contrast, elastic, flexible things stretched and held better, depending upon the situation.
This situation called for flexibility. And patience. Lots of patience.
“I’ll meet with him I guess,” she said.
“Thank you.” He took her hand in his and gave it a small squeeze.
She didn’t flinch.
His gaze hopped from their hands to her face several times before he whispered, “Lei, I want you to let me touch you.”
Her hand moved a tiny bit, but she didn’t pull it completely away. “Malek, you know that’s hard for me.”
“I do know. But that’s why I think it’s important for you to work through this. I want to help you.”
“Why?”
Malek shrugged. He couldn’t tell her the truth, that he might be falling for her and wanted to heal her pain, to make her whole again. If he so much as uttered those words, she’d run. “I feel it’s what you want. You do want to feel comfortable being around people, being intimate, don’t you?”
“Maybe.”
“And you do trust me.”
“More than anyone else . . . except Rin.”
“And you know, as a dom, that I do have some experience helping people push through certain limits. You do the same thing for your submissives, too.”
“Sure.”
“Then please let me help you.”
Lei thought about it for longer than he would’ve liked. The entire time, he sat breathless, hoping she’d say the word he ached to hear. And then she nodded, “Okay, but only touch. Nothing more. And not anywhere inappropriate.”
“I can deal with that.” He gave her no time to change her mind. Because he knew she would if he didn’t take action right then and there. “If you want me to stop, say the word red.”
“Red. Got it.”
Her lip caught his attention. It was quivering. It was a relatively warm day for that time of year, but it was still pretty damn chilly. “Are you cold?”