Bare Devotion

by Thorn, Lacey

  “Gil, it’s Blake,” he said as soon as he heard the voice on the other end of the line. “I’m here at the last house and there’s someone trying to sneak in.”

  “So our guy came back,” Gil exclaimed. “I’ll call Ben on the way. Don’t do anything stupid, Blake. This guy has killed six people so far. Don’t take any chances.”

  Blake ignored Gil’s warning as he hung the phone up with a snap. There was something wrong here. The shadow was too small, too petite to be a man. And if what he was thinking was correct, then what the hell was a woman doing here at this time of night? What did she have to do with this investigation?

  “Shit,” Blake muttered and headed at a slow run to the side of the house where the shadow was already disappearing around the corner. He had to stop her from getting into the house. He was hoping to take a fresh look at the scene in the morning and didn’t want to lose any trace evidence he might find.

  Blake took a running leap planning to tackle the small figure in the soft grass just off the back porch.

  Ally heard a noise and turned around to peer behind her. She had time for a startled squeal and a feeble attempt to backpedal before the large figure took her tumbling to the ground, finally landing with him on top of her, his big body sprawled between her spread legs. Ally gave a soft gasp at the sparks that flowed through her at his touch.

  He was big, but then most people were when compared to her five-foot height. People constantly referred to her as a fairy with her diminutive height, long black hair and green eyes.

  Blake leaned his full weight on the woman beneath him. And he could tell that she was all woman. He could easily feel the shape of her full and obviously unconfined breasts, the heat of her sex against his growing erection. Shit, he thought, trying to adjust his position between her thighs. He had obviously been way too long without a woman. He needed to get laid and soon.

  “Get off me,” the woman gasped, doing her own wiggling that only brought her flush against his full-blown erection. They both stilled at the delicious sensations that coursed through their bodies. It felt good. It felt right.

  “Not yet, sweetheart,” Blake told her, giving up all pretenses and relaxing his body down over hers. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  He could see the wheels spinning behind her eyes and wanted to laugh when she replied with a shrug. “I’m looking for my aunt’s house. Obviously I’ve got the wrong address.”

  “Am I interrupting something?” Gil asked from behind them, causing two sets of startled eyes to glance his way.

  “Just getting to know the lady better,” Blake said as he lumbered to his feet. “How did you get here so fast?”

  “I was just around the corner when you called,” Gil murmured, a smile tugging at his lips.

  Ally’s eyes widened as she took in the sheer size of the men in front of her, looking even bigger from her position on the ground. The one who had interrupted them was long and lean, but she could easily see that he would be a force to be reckoned with. But it was the other man, the one who had held her so intimately on the ground, that her gaze kept returning to as she slowly came to her feet before them.

  The moon was finally out of hiding and she could get a good look at him. He was gorgeous. He had to be well over six feet, at least an inch taller than the lean guy, with wide shoulders bulging with muscles. Thick, wavy, brown hair settled around his shoulders and it was all she could do not to moan her pleasure at finally seeing him. He was sex personified. Rough, dirty, raunchy sex. And the bulge straining against his zipper was impressive.

  “Uh…umm,” Blake cleared his throat as he caught her eyeing the straining length of his erection. Yeah, his cock was hungry for her and the blush that stained her cheeks assured him that she knew it. “You want to try again to tell us what the hell you’re doing here?”

  “I told you,” she said quietly sticking with her earlier story. “I thought this was the address of my aunt’s house. Obviously I was mistaken. I’m sorry to have bothered you both,” she managed as she tried to nonchalantly ease away. “I’ll just be on my way.”

  Blake snaked a hand out and snagged her by the wrist, his fingers easily wrapping around her small bones with room to spare. Fuck she was delicate. She’d never be able to handle the rough ride he would love to give her. Blake shook his head, clearing that thought from his mind. “I think maybe you better stick around until you decide to tell us the truth,” he stated firmly.

  She was exquisite, dressed all in black with her ebony hair braided down her back. Her eyes were big green orbs with a slight tilt at the corners that gave them a feline appearance. Actually they reminded him of Moira’s, Gil’s wife. The woman whose wrist he held was dainty, standing maybe five feet even, but her curves were all in place and very pleasing to his eyes. Blake had always considered himself a leg man, but taking in the straining mounds of her lush chest complete with pebbled nipples had him salivating. He wanted to strip that little catsuit off her, throw her down on the ground and fuck her till neither of them could move. His cock pulsed in his jeans and he could feel the pre-cum that was seeping from its tip and prayed it wouldn’t leave a wet spot on his jeans. Oh yeah, he definitely wanted to fuck her.

  “I’m not sure what I could tell you, gentlemen,” Ally tried unsuccessfully to pull out of the hold on her wrist. “Maybe I should call the cops. I don’t even know who you are.”

  Gil eased his hand inside his leather coat and pulled out his detective’s shield. “Detective Gil Daniels, ma’am,” he told her. “And the gentleman holding onto you is our fire marshal, Blake Summers.”

  “Pleasure,” Blake told her and neither of them was sure exactly what he was referring to.

  “Ally St.

  John,” she told them, easily using her mother’s maiden name in case they decided to run a check on her. “It’s been a pleasure, but I’d really like to leave now,” she added, tugging uselessly on her arm. She had to get away. No one had mentioned anything yet about her catsuit or the fact that she was wearing black leather gloves, and she’d like to keep it that way. The last thing she needed was to be hauled into the local police station. If they checked on her they would find her real name attached to several cases where she had assisted the police.

  “Can anyone join this party?” a new voice spoke up as a tall man came around the corner.

  Ally blinked unsure of what…who she was seeing. It couldn’t be. And yet it was. She hadn’t seen him in years, not since they were both in their teens, not since he had left his family behind so many years ago. It was a fate they both shared when it came to Preston St. John, the patriarch of the St. John family, Ally’s uncle and Tommy’s father. Lord knew that Preston had disowned his sister as quickly as he could. There would be no foolishness in his family and being openly bisexual could definitely be considered a blight on the St. John name. Ally strained to get a better look at the man who kept coming closer. It was him and she had never been happier to see anyone in her life.

  “Tommy? Please tell me you’re not a figment of my imagination,” she begged, tugging at her wrist again and almost falling when she found it released.

  “No, that’s my partner Detective Ben Marcum,” Gil answered.

  “Ally? No way!” Ben exclaimed as he headed toward her. Ally ran and flew into his arms, laughing. Ben spun her around and squeezed her tightly against him. “What the hell are you doing here, Ally Cat?”

  Blake clenched his hands at his sides startled by the jolt of jealousy that coursed through him at the sight of Ally in Ben’s arms. Hell, it wasn’t like him to be possessive with women anyway especially one he didn’t even really know. Besides, chances were good that if she ended up in his bed they wouldn’t be alone in it for very long, since Blake had a good friend in Legacy whom he shared his women with. And with just that thought his cock swelled larger. Blake gritted his teeth trying to clear the erotic vision from his head, the vision of Ally on her hands and knees taking him and another man at the same tim
e. Luckily his thoughts were interrupted.

  “Tommy?” Gil questioned. “What the hell is she talking about? What is she doing here? And how do you know her?”

  Ben opened his mouth to reply when Ally cut him off with a strangled sob that tore at his heart. The Ally he remembered never cried.

  “She’s gone, Tommy,” Ally cried softly against his chest. “They’re gone.”

  “Who’s gone?” he questioned already fearing her answer.

  “Mama,” she cried out, giving way to the tears that she had held back for so long. “Tory and Mama are both gone.”

  Ben ran his hand affectionately down the back of her head, letting her cry in the comfort of his arms. “Tory and Roni both,” he spoke softly.

  “Who are Tory and Roni?” Blake asked.

  “Roni is—was—her mother,” Ben informed them quietly. “Tory was her…aunt.” He looked his partner cum brother-in-law Gil in the eye before adding softly, “Her mother was my aunt.”

  Gil and Blake glanced over at Ben with startled expressions as it dawned on them what he was saying.

  “Are you saying—” Gil started to ask when Ben interrupted them.

  “Yeah, Ally is my cousin,” Ben stated and began gently leading her to his SUV. “And I’m taking her home where she can get comfortable and tell me just what’s going on.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Blake stated bluntly not knowing why he was insisting just sure that he couldn’t let her out of his sight just yet.

  “Fine,” Ben said nodding his head. “I’ll see you there.”

  Gil nodded and headed to his Trans-Am already opening his cell to call Moira. There was no way that he was missing out on this. Something was going on and he planned to find out exactly what it was.

  Ally cried quietly in the passenger seat on the way to her cousin’s house. There was so much going through her mind and she could only be grateful that she had found Tommy again. But why did they call him Ben?

  “Why did that other detective call you Ben?” she asked her cousin softly. The cousin she had always known as Thomas Austin St. John—Tommy.

  Ben let out a long sigh before answering. “I changed my name, Ally. When I left the family behind, I legally changed my name to Ben Thomas Marcum.”

  “You changed to your mother’s maiden name,” Ally nodded in understanding. “You always loved spending time with your Grandpa Tom.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed.

  “So is life better for you now,” Ally inquired. “As Ben Marcum I mean.”

  There was no doubting the huge smile that lit his face. “My life is perfect,” Ben assured her. “When we get to my house you’ll meet my wife Katie.”

  “Wife?” Ally was startled at this revelation.

  “We’re expecting our first child in May next year,” Ben told her. “You’ll love Katie. Hell, you’ll love the entire Daniels family. They’re good people.”

  “That detective back there introduced himself as a Daniels,” Ally replied, refusing to comment on the rest of what he said. In her life, good people were only nice to her when they needed something from her. Otherwise she was referred to as the daughter of the lesbians.

  “Gil,” Ben nodded as he pulled into a big house and parked by a fenced-in backyard. “He’s Katie’s brother and my partner. And my best friend as well.”

  He jumped out of the SUV and walked around to help her out, shutting the door and beeping it locked before tugging her hand and leading her through the gate and to the back door of his home.

  A woman stood there silhouetted in the light from the room behind her. It was remarkable to Ally the physical similarities that they shared. Katie—she was sure this woman had to be his wife—was petite as well, with short black hair and a slim build. She wasn’t overly chesty like Ally, instead appearing more in proportion with her small frame. Her eyes were a magnificent blue that reminded Ally of the detective named Gil. In fact the closer she walked toward the woman the more obvious it was that the two were related. She couldn’t help wondering if there were any more of them and if they were all so beautiful.

  Katie opened the door and Ben swept her up in his arms making her shriek with joy. Ally felt like a voyeur when her cousin wrapped his wife in his arms and kissed her passionately cupping her ass in his big hands and squeezing the cheeks. She went to step discreetly back out of the doorway and backed right into a very warm, very aroused male body.

  Hands gripped her waist and she knew exactly who was touching her before he leaned low and whispered in her ear.

  “This family is very openly affectionate,” Blake spoke into Ally’s ear, breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo. “You’ll get used to it if you stay for very long.”

  Ally just nodded, unable to breathe, much less speak, with him so close to her. His erection felt huge against her back and she wanted desperately to feel it pounding inside her wet pussy. Something about him called to her and she knew that before this night ended she would be in his bed. She glanced over her shoulder and the look in his eyes said that he knew it too.

  “Go on in, guys,” Gil spoke as he came up behind them. “Ben, put her down and let’s all sit down and talk. Some of us have wives to go home to.”

  His comment startled Ally and her eyes locked once more with Blake’s, asking without words if he was married, if there was someone else. He shook his head and breathed in her ear, “Not me. There’s no one,” before patting her on the ass and nudging her into the kitchen where Ben and Katie were finally coming up for air.

  Ally went to slip around the table and take a seat but Ben grabbed her and pulled her close to his side. “Katie, I want you to meet my cousin, Ally Samms. Ally, this is my wife Katie.”

  Katie smiled and reached to give Ally a hug, but before she could get more than, “It’s a pleasure…” out of her mouth both other men in the room exploded.

  “Samms,” Blake snarled unsure why it upset him so much that she had lied about who she was.

  “I thought you said your name was Ally St. John?” Gil questioned at the same time.

  Ally took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

  Ben muttered under his breath while giving Ally a pointed look and Katie just shook her head before grasping Ally’s hand firmly in hers and pulling her toward the open door that led further into the house.

  “If you gentleman will excuse us,” Katie began, although all three men knew she wasn’t really giving them the option. “I’m going to show Ally where she can wash her face and freshen up just a little bit before you all start in on whatever you have planned.” She turned to face Ally then and smiled. “You have some dirt streaked on your cheek and some leaves and things in your hair. Follow me and I’ll help you out.”

  “Thanks,” Ally managed. It had been too long since she had anyone who really cared about her. It seemed like all of her time recently was spent pursuing the man responsible for taking that away from her.

  She followed Katie up the stairs and was startled when instead of a bathroom Katie led her into what had to be the master bedroom. Katie showed her to the bathroom and encouraged her to jump in the shower really quickly while Katie found something for Ally to wear. The shower sounded like heaven and Ally wanted to give in.

  “But they’re waiting for me,” Ally said.

  “Then let them wait,” Katie replied, looking so closely at Ally that she hoped her cousin’s wife wasn’t noticing the dark circles under her eyes. She crossed her fingers that Katie wouldn’t comment on the fatigue and worry that she was sure showed on her face.

  “Relax,” Katie told her softly. “Whatever problems there are will still be there when you’re done. Only you might feel better equipped to handle them.” Katie gave her another hug before moving back once more. “I hope that you will consider me a new friend, Ally. I’d like to get to know you better. Besides, you are family,” Katie grinned at the look of confusion on Ally’s face. Hell, at this rate Ally would have the other woman convinced that she never had
another soul in the world as a friend. “That makes you an honorary Daniels, Ally. I can’t wait for everyone to meet you. How old are you, anyway?” Katie asked and Ally could almost see the wheels already spinning in her head.

  “I’m twenty-six,” Ally replied slowly, wondering where this might lead.

  “You look so much younger,” was all Katie said as she left the room pulling the door closed after her.

  Ally stood there for a moment taking it all in. She could hear Katie moving around in the other room and knew she was laying out clothes for Ally to wear. For the first time in what felt like forever Ally felt hope. With a weary sigh she turned to the shower, starting the water and quickly stripping and unbraiding her hair. No matter what Katie said, Ally knew that the men were waiting for her and she had no plans to make them wait any longer than she absolutely had to.

  * * * * *

  Ally could hear the voices in the kitchen as she was coming down the stairs, her hands gliding over the banister. It sounded like there were more people there than before. Ally felt self-conscious in the clothes that Katie had left out for her. The jeans were fine, if a little snug, but the top was another matter entirely. The t-shirt that probably looked great on Katie was tight on Ally and as Ally hadn’t been wearing a bra under the form-fitting catsuit, her breasts were blatantly displayed beneath the tight material. At least they were still high and firm but Ally would give anything for one of her comfy sweatshirts to hide beneath.

  As she edged closer she could make out the discussion that was taking place in the kitchen.

  “She knows something,” Blake reiterated for the third time. “Why else would she show up at the latest crime scene?”

  “He’s right Ben,” Gil admitted. “And who did she say died? How did they die?”

  “I know as much as you do at this time,” Ben said. “We didn’t talk much on the way over because Ally was too upset. And let me tell you, that is not like the girl I knew at all.”