by WL Knightly
He listened as Lou gave him directions to the motel, and then he took his time heading out, knowing Mia’s habits had her keeping the man company for at least two hours when they hooked up. Lou had watched them for days, so their patterns were clear.
After the fifteen-minute commute, he pulled up to the motel and parked across the lot next to a few other cars. He backed in, making sure he could see. When Lou saw him, he gave a nod. He wanted the man around in case anything went south.
Bay stared ahead, his eyes boring into the blue motel door, and when it opened, the cop stepped out, and Mia followed. They kissed, and then Max walked her to her car.
Bay’s anger grew. He was going to have fun teaching her a lesson, and maybe the cop would get one too.
Chapter 21
Justin
Justin thought his day would be decent until Brandy called from the store to tell him his doctor’s appointment had been canceled. But then in the next breath, when she told him it was moved up to ten o’clock that day, he knew it was going to go south.
He had tried to argue with her, but that hadn’t gone his way either. So, after being poked and prodded and told his stitches needed to stay in a few more days, he was on his way back to the house in a bad mood and a hundred dollars poorer.
Brandy sat on the steps of his porch when he rode up on his bike. She didn’t even lift her head, and when he saw what she had in her hands, a brown paper box, he wondered what had made her so upset. Surely that wasn’t how Corey’s ashes would arrive?
He killed the bike and then put down the stand.
“Corey’s ashes came. I haven’t opened the box.” She looked at it. “They sealed it up pretty good. I guess in case he leaked out?” Her face was twisted in a mixture of pain and confusion.
He dusted off his jeans and sat down beside her. “We’ll get an urn if you want. I’ll take you down today.” He stared at the box. It was so small, and he found it hard to believe Corey was in there.
“I don’t think I want one.” She met his eyes. “Corey said he collected things: lunchboxes, comic books, and other stuff. He told me about this old, metal Hot Wheels lunchbox and how his father gave it to him. It was his most prized possession. I thought I’d get it while I’m in Phoenix and keep him there.” Her brows pinched tight. “Is that awful? Putting him in some cheap, metal box?”
“No, it’s really nice. It meant something to him, so I think he’d like that. Besides, he was a big kid at heart when it came to that stuff.”
She nodded. “Then it’s settled. That’s what I’ll do with him.” She took a deep breath and Justin could see how great the pain was in her eyes. She cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. “Did you ever call your friend about the marriage license?”
“Yes, I did that before my doctor’s appointment. I have it all worked out, and as far as anyone knows, you were Corey’s widow, not his fiancé. I sent the papers to Carter Hamilton so the good pastor was in town for the ceremony and we celebrated dinner with our friends on Saturday night. If anyone asks, we went to New Orleans for the ceremony, and you were going to file the paper when you returned.”
“Thanks.” She looked down at her ring. “You know why this all happened, right?”
“With Corey?”
“Yes, with him dying just when I found happiness? It’s my punishment.” Her face held a look of certainty. “For what happened with Lynn. I killed him, so I had to pay for it.”
“That’s ridiculous. You were being abused. You acted in self-defense.” He faced her.
“No, that’s not entirely true,” she said, shaking her head.
Justin’s eyes narrowed. This sweet angel in front of him couldn’t have lied. Not after all he’d done to protect her. Only to protect her. “What do you mean?”
“Lynn was a monster, and he did abuse me. He made me miserable even when he wasn’t beating on me. Everything I told you was true, but I didn’t exactly kill him in self-defense. The last time he beat me, the night before I took him out, I told myself I’d never let him do it again. I had to be careful not to alert him to what I was going to do, and I planned it all night. He thought I was weak, even though I fought him every time, so he didn’t see it coming.
“I waited until he was watching a ballgame in the living room. He asked me to get him a beer. I brought him death instead. I found his weak moment and struck. I was afraid if I told you how it really went down, you’d think I was crazy. But if you thought it happened in the heat of a fight, that made it seem more like self-defense. I didn’t want you to think I was a monster.”
“I don’t think that. I could never think that about you.” He still felt like the asshole got what he deserved. “I saw the bruises; I know what that animal did to you.”
“That night before we went to bed, he kissed me. Told me he was sorry. I wanted to believe him. I almost did. But that fucking lip bled all night. Every time I tried to speak, when I yawned, it split back open. To make it worse, he wanted oral the next morning. Asked me flat out for it, even though I woke up with a pillow stained with blood. I didn’t dare refuse him, but I made up my mind he had to go.”
“Would you think I was a monster if I told you I’m glad you did it? That if I’d have known, I’d do the same thing you did. Only I’d make it slow and painful.” He would have killed him with his bare hands. “Stop thinking this was all your fault. Corey’s death is not on you, okay? If it’s on anyone, it’s on me. That sack of shit calling itself Betty did this. And if I’d been smarter, all of my friends would be alive.”
“You know, I didn’t end up in your store by chance. I deliberately went there. I knew you’d find me. I wanted you to. And not only because I hoped you’d help me with Lynn, however you chose to handle it, but because I was attracted to you.”
Justin’s eyes lit with surprise. “Yeah?”
“Yes. I think that’s what I liked most. You have no idea how hot you are. Lynn, he knew he was man-pretty. Liked to think he was a big shot. He tried so hard. But you? You’re effortlessly handsome and strong. And you were nice to me. I had seen you around The Sissy Bar and knew you always came in there alone.”
Justin knew what it had looked like. He’d had Betty waiting at home online, and while he loved to hang with his friends, he had it in his head he needed to stay as faithful as possible to the promise he’d made the stranger. “I feel like such an ass. All that wasted time.”
“Let’s not waste another moment then.” She placed her hand on his knee.
He put his hand over hers and looked into her eyes. “You still need time, Brandy. I’m not going to rush you.”
“You’re not.” She picked up the small box. “Corey is in here. Not in here.” She placed her hand on her heart. “I realized that we rushed things so fast that I didn’t have time to really fall in love with him. I mean, I cared for him, and I would have married him, but there’s so much I don’t know about him. The thought of going to Phoenix, taking his things, makes me feel like a thief. I think we should both go and box his things up. Maybe donate them or sell them; auction them off and give the money to charity.”
She really took him by surprise with that plan, and while he’d take the money and not send it off to some fucking charity to line the pockets of its board members, he wanted to do what she wanted. He had enough to take care of them for the rest of their lives and then some. “I can help you with that. I need to give it a few days though. Time to make sure that Beth, Lolly, and Jim are not coming back while I’m gone.”
She squeezed his hand. “I agree. We need a clean slate.”
He got to his feet and reached for her hand. “Let’s go inside, and we’ll check the guns. I’ll give you a refresher course on how to fire one.”
“I want to learn how to shoot the big gun.” She brought herself closer and reached down to stroke him through his pants.
Justin smiled. “I think we have time for that first. I’ve got at least two rounds ready to fire. Are you sure about this?”
He’d remembered the first time he’d heard those words; she had needed him for a much different task. “I need you too. I think that this is how it’s supposed to be.” He pulled her close, and when her hands went around his neck, he lifted her up, and her feet came off the ground, and she brought her legs around his hips.
He was hard thinking about what would happen next. He had waited too long for this moment, and he was prepared to savor each and every last minute; every last second of this bliss.
Brandy pulled away from his mouth and whispered. “Take me to your bed.” He was diamond hard and ready to go, but he had to hold himself back. This couldn’t be some rough fuck that he’d given Lolly and Beth. He had to make it special. She had been through so much that he needed her to know she was safe with him.
He lay her back on the bed and kissed and caressed her. Then he pulled away and stood, slipping his shirt off over his head and off his arms before tossing it aside. He could see her eyes move down on his chest, and he hoped she liked the view. He undid his pants as she moved to strip off her top and once she unbuttoned her jeans, he reached down and peeled them off slowly, not missing an inch of her sexy, smooth legs.
He reached for her soft mound, cupping it with his hand before applying pressure and parting her folds. Then he slipped two of his big, long fingers into her wet center and fucked her slowly. She moaned, and it didn’t take long to take her over the edge.
Once her pleasure ebbed, she whispered close to his ear. “I’m ready for more, Justin.”
Afterward, they lay in bed for a while, savoring the afterglow. Then Brandy grinned over at him. “Take me to play with the other guns now?”
“Yeah, if you want. I could go again, you know?” He had never been a one and done kind of man.
“Then take me to your secret room and fuck me on that big pile of money.” They shared a laugh.
“I’ve always wanted to do that,” he said.
“Me too. But I never thought I’d meet anyone with a big stack like you. Or the pile of money.” She winked at him, and he took her hand and brought her to her feet.
“Come on, sweetheart. I’ll make all of your dreams come true.”
Chapter 22
Darek
Darek liked that Lizzy had started wearing more pencil skirts and tight blouses again since the two of them were back in action. He stared at her across the room where she had gone to pour a cup of coffee and take a call.
“You make that any more obvious, and she’s going to be in a pissy mood,” said Max, who hadn’t been informed of the two making nice and just how nice they were making. He turned from the file cabinet and leaned against it.
“I don’t think she’d mind,” said Darek.
Max belted a laugh. “Shit, you two again? That didn’t take as long as I thought. What did you do with your other one?”
“She split. Things got too heavy with the shooting. I’m totally focused and on target now.” He didn’t want to think about Raven, and it wasn’t because he didn’t care but because he couldn’t. He had to get her out of his system and go for the practical option as Bay Collins would call her.
Max chuckled. “Rebounding from the rebound with the one you rebounded from? You’re like a circus act. Makes me want to buy tickets.”
“You might learn something,” said Darek as he winked at Lizzy. She put down her phone and brought her cup of coffee to join them.
“It’s been a while since I saw you with a cup midday,” said Max. “This one stressing you out?” He took a jab at Darek.
Darek slapped his hand away as she answered, “No, not yet.”
“It’s okay, darling. I see how it is.” He winked at Darek, but he was not amused at the two of them being so chummy. He had a feeling that more had happened between them than a friendly shoulder, and if he found out it had, he didn’t know how he’d handle it.
Lizzy gave Max a hard glance.
About that time, Louisa at the front desk called out. “Sir, I asked you to wait!”
Darek looked up to see Bay Collins tearing past the woman. Darius came after him, pulling him to a stop. “Back off. I’ve got business with Max.” Bay had a wild look in his eyes.
Fuck! Darek got up, prepared to get between them.
“What’s the meaning of this?” asked Lizzy, positioning herself as if she might jump between them.
Darek called Darius off. “I’ll handle this.”
The officer turned Bay loose and backed away as Darek approached.
As soon as he was gone, Bay charged forward for Max, pushing past Darek with his good shoulder. “Where is she?”
Darek looked over at Max, whose eyes looked like he was about to start shooting death lasers. “I don’t what your problem is, but I don’t know where she went.”
“Who?” asked Lizzy, looking back and forth between the two men. She pegged Max with a hard look, and he suddenly got defensive.
“He’s talking about his wife’s sister, Mia,” Max said to Lizzy. “She’s a girl I’ve been seeing.”
“Who is barely nineteen and didn’t come home last night!” Bay pushed forward, but Darek managed to keep a hold of him.
Max shook his head. “I haven’t seen her since yesterday. But just so you know, she met me to break things off.”
“You spent nearly two hours in that motel room talking? Yeah, right. I know Mia. She’s bored easily with talking and thinks her mouth has better uses.”
Max shrugged. “So, maybe she blew me. Maybe she gave me a farewell fucking. It’s still not your business. But the last time I saw her, I was driving away from the motel, and she was walking to her car.”
“Right, Mr. Protect and Serve drove away without even making sure she was safe inside her car. That was yesterday. I saw you. I had wanted to confront her and decided not to. I saw her get into the car, and then I went home to wait, and she never showed up.”
Darek wondered if Mia had become their next victim. “Did she call you any time after?” he asked Max, hoping to calm the situation.
“No, I’m serious,” said Max. “She said she did a lot of thinking in New Orleans, and she knew which side her bread was buttered. She was afraid you’d stop throwing her cash. I talked her into one more romp, and after I fucked her, we left.” Max stepped up to Bay. “What’s your wife think of this little game you play with her baby sister?”
“My wife will be devastated if anything happened to her. That’s all I care about, bringing her home safely to her loving family.”
Lizzy watched the back and forth, and Darek could tell she wasn’t following everything by the look on her face.
“Yeah, your twisted family.”
Bay lunged forward, but Darek knew Max would lay him to waste even if Bay had two good shoulders. “Not here,” he shouted, pulling Bay away. He turned to Lizzy. “You keep an eye on him.” He gestured toward Max, and she nodded.
Bay walked out of the room with him and down the hall to interrogation. “That motherfucker,” he said as he kicked one of the chairs. The metal made a horrible sound across the floor.
“Killing him won’t help anything. I’ll talk to him when you leave and make sure that he’s not protecting her.”
“Protecting her?” Bay’s eyes were wild, and he raked his hand through his platinum hair. “I might be a crazy motherfucker in your eyes, Darek. I get that. Hell, I earned it. But I don’t hurt my family. I never have. It’s the one thing I cherish, the most important thing I control.”
“I know how rough you can be on people. I also know the lengths you go to for controlling people, friends and loved ones alike, so as I said, I’ll make sure.”
“She was special to me. I treated her like a little princess, gave her everything. She was never abused, though her sister did drag her by her hair the other night. They got into it pretty good. She came home and smelled Mia’s perfume on her pillow. I hadn’t exactly been honest with her about why I wanted Mia
to stay home, obviously.”
“Are you sure your wife didn’t have someone pick her up? Maybe Lila did something to scare her.”
“No, she’d never do that. She isn’t smart enough to even think that way. By the next morning, I’d smoothed things over, and everyone was happy with the way things were. Lila actually felt sorry that she’d been so unkind to her sister. They even hugged each other goodbye.”
“Are you sure that Mia wasn’t going to leave home to be with her sister or Max?”
Bay paced the room, and Darek hoped it would help him blow off some steam. “She wouldn’t go to the safe house alone; she hates flying, especially in puddle jumpers. And as for Max, she’d better not. She barely knows that bastard.”
But Darek knew better.
“Look, I know they’ve been sneaking around a while. I saw them having lunch one day.”
“And you didn’t tell me?” He pushed Darek, who took a step back.
“Calm down.” He didn’t need Bay upset even worse. “I figured you might already know. You are a little free with sex, and for all I knew, you got off on her being with other men. It wasn’t my place.”
“Next time you see any of my women fucking around, you better tell me, suspicions or not.”
“Noted, but you have to stop blaming Max and face reality. The killer might have Mia. And if he does, how in the hell will it look for both of us?”
Bay sank down to the nearest chair. “We have to find her before I am forced to tell her sister what happened. Lila will come back, putting the baby in danger. She’s already come home since the goddamned shooting. Which I guess you still haven’t had any luck with.” He gave Darek an accusing look.