Unconditional Surrender

by Desiree Holt

  She didn’t want to think what his ‘just in case’ might mean. “What else? I’m pretty sure that’s not all.”

  He took the watch from her and showed her a tiny button in the opposite side of the winding stem. “This button? It’s as good as calling nine-one-one.” He went on to explain how it sent an emergency signal both to the police and to a couple of people he knew in the city. “You get in trouble, any trouble at all, just press this. I tested it to make sure it works.”

  “You have strangers involved in this?”

  He closed her fingers around the watch. “Not strangers, but people I trust. They run a security service, mostly monitoring alarm systems from businesses and corporations. I had them set it up with a special code for you so if it pings on their system, they know who it is. Someone is always monitoring it. They know if this alarm goes off to contact me at once.”

  “What if you’re half a world away?” she asked.

  “They have provisions for that too,” he assured her. “Darlin’, if I weren’t leaving on a mission, I’d be checking on you myself every day. I really wanted to get someone who could bodyguard you, drive you everyplace, make sure you always got home okay. But—”

  She held up her free hand. “Stop. Slade, I appreciate all this. I’ll wear this because, well, it would be stupid of me not to. I’ll make sure Kip knows where I am at all times and I won’t go anywhere alone, even to the courthouse. But no bodyguard, okay? Please? I’m hoping this is just going to fade away on its own.”

  “We’ll see.” But his voice was heavy with skepticism. He took the watch from her and placed it on the nightstand. “As long as you’re up, maybe we can think of a way to pass the time.” He winked. “I’ve got a sure-fire way to keep those nightmares at bay.”

  Kari was overcome with his concern for her and the lengths he’d gone to to protect her. Everything he did, including his insistence on exclusivity, gave her hope that this relationship would last. He’d certainly found a place in her heart. Smiling at him, she pressed her fingers against his chest and pushed him back on the pillows.

  “I’ve got a better way. I think you need to let me show you my appreciation.”

  His half-smile was wicked. “Oh, yeah? What did you have in mind?”

  “Why don’t you lie there and find out?”

  Kari kneeled beside him, her knees pressed against the hard muscle of his thigh, and wrapped her fingers around his cock, shocked to find it already swollen and thick and standing erect. Bending over, she took him in her mouth and tightened her lips around him. The skin of his shaft was so silken over the hard steel beneath it. The moment she licked her tongue around the rim of the head, he sucked in his breath.

  “Sweet Jesus, Kari.” He hissed the words.

  She hummed her satisfaction at his reaction and moved her lips up and down, sliding her hand at the same time, creating delicious friction. Slade thrust his fingers into her hair and tightened them around the strands, cupping her head.

  “Yeah,” he groaned. “Like that. Just like that.”

  He filled nearly every inch of her mouth, but she managed to wrap her tongue around the head before licking the velvet surface. She caught a thick drop of fluid and swallowed it, reveling in the slightly salty taste. She slipped her free hand between his thighs, cupping his balls and tightening her grasp. Slade nearly levitated off the bed.

  “Holy fucking shit!”

  She quickened her strokes, up and down. Suck. Lick. Squeeze.

  Slade tightened his grip on her hair. “You better stop or there won’t be anything left for you.”

  She lifted her head long enough to say, “This is what I want for me.” Then she went back to work on him.

  The heavy pulse of blood in the vein wrapped around his shaft and the thrust of his hips let her know he was reaching the danger point, so she rubbed and licked and squeezed harder. In seconds he exploded, filling her mouth with his semen. She swallowed it, letting it slide down the back of her throat, until she had milked him of every last drop. Only then did she sit back and slip her hands away from his body.

  “Come here.” His voice was rough with passion as he pulled her to him, pressing her head on his shoulder. “Damn, Kari. I’ll be thinking of that every second I’m gone.”

  “That was the idea.” She pressed her lips to his skin. “Except when you’re out doing dangerous stuff. Then think only about that.”

  “Kari.” He cleared his throat. “I want you to know—”

  She touched the tips of her fingers to his mouth. “Whatever it is will keep until you get back.”

  She didn’t want him making declarations of any kind until he’d had a chance to live with what was happening between them. And she wanted the time to think it over herself. They’d both been chasing the dream for five years. She wanted to make sure it wasn’t just the excitement of fulfillment, but something real. Hard as it might be, she could wait.

  “Close your eyes, then.” He stroked her arm. “Time to sleep. Morning will be here way too soon.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kari dropped the stack of file folders and her tablet on her desk, sat down and blew out a breath. To say today had been the day from hell was an understatement. Among other things, a grueling round of depositions had almost wiped her out. She and Sasha had both been assigned to work a new high-profile assault case that could have heavy repercussions in the city’s political and judicial circles.

  The asshole Hal Grayson was first chair. She didn’t know which was worse, the unbelievable amount of material to wade through or Grayson’s condescending attitude. Even Kip got irritated with him, but the truth was, Grayson was a shark in court. Always well-prepared no matter what the defense threw at him, and skewering the defendant. When her phone rang, she was tempted not to pick it up. Sighing, she lifted the receiver, hoping this call didn’t take more than five minutes. She was anxious to get the hell out of there.

  “You ready to celebrate, kid?” Ross Delahunt’s voice sounded across the phone connection.

  She was always glad to hear from Ross, but she had no idea what he was talking about. She frowned.

  “Celebrate what? Did I miss something?”

  “No, but you will be. I’ve got great news. You’ll be missing your stalker.”

  “What?” She nearly shrieked the word. “You found out who it was? Are you kidding me?”

  Ross laughed. “Would I kid about a thing like that? But listen.” His voice sobered. “You’ll never believe who it was.”

  “Oh, my God. Who? Is it someone I know? It has to be.” She could hardly believe it. The black cloud would be gone?

  “Did you ever meet John Schreiber? Judge Glasgow’s law clerk?”

  Kari tried to conjure up an image in her mind. She had appeared numerous times before the man in Chicago but she didn’t remember his clerk. She had a vague image of a nondescript man with brown hair. She did remember he’d always sat at a table to the left of the bench with a laptop and a stack of files. That was about it.

  “Maybe a time or two, but I hardly remember him. I don’t think I even had that much contact with him. He obviously didn’t leave much of an impression.”

  “Maybe that’s his problem in life.” Ross sighed. “But yeah, he apparently had a fixation with you. Has ever since the Christmas party at the courthouse two years ago.”

  “But that’s absurd! I hardly remember even talking to him.”

  “It seems he has some…peculiarities that he’d kept well hidden. Glasgow was shocked.”

  “God, Ross. I can hardly believe it.” She felt as if a thousand-pound weight had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders. “You actually found him.”

  “Glasgow assured us he’d had no idea and apologized several times. He has a lot of admiration for you, Kari. Said you’re one of the most professional lawyers to appear before him in court.”

  “Wow. That’s quite a compliment coming from him.” Judge Glasgow had one of the toughest reputations in
the judicial system.

  “Assured me over and over he had no idea this was going on,” Ross continued.

  “I’m still trying to process it. I mean, John Schreiber is someone I hardly know. I’ve only had minimal contact with him, although when I still lived in Chicago, I appeared before Glasgow probably more than I have any other judge since I’ve been here.”

  “I had trouble with it myself, kid.” He sighed. “We got lucky, if that’s what you want to call it. Janine kept asking people, in conversation, just casually. Someone finally remembered seeing him go into her office the day of the impromptu party. We hauled his ass into my office and after five minutes with me he broke.”

  “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” she told him. “Someone like him hardly seems dangerous at all. Yet he made my life a living hell.”

  “Don’t kid yourself. Guys like him are sometimes the most dangerous of all. They have no real life to speak of so they become obsessed with someone who’s unobtainable. They fixate on them. When we talked to the judge, he said it stunned him. He did admit, however, the kid had been acting weird for a long time. That it got worse about the time you disappeared from Chicago.” He paused. “Must have been driving him crazy that he didn’t know where you were. He couldn’t exactly go around asking.”

  “So what happens now?” A tendril of fear curled through her as an idea slammed into her. “Do I have to go back to Chicago? Testify? Oh, God, Kip.

  “Hold on, hold on.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “Luck is with you. They have the evidence so they negotiated a plea deal in exchange for his confession. He gets a lesser term. But at least he’s locked down and even when he gets out, he has no idea where you are.”

  “Thank God. At least I can breathe again. Oh, my God. Thank you, thank you.”

  “I just wish it hadn’t taken so long, kid, but better late than never.”

  “So it’s really over. For good?”

  “You have my word,” he assured her.

  Free. God, it felt so good. But strange. She hadn’t felt free for a long time.

  Kari leaned back in her chair. “I should let my boss know. He’s been so great about keeping an eye on me.”

  “I’ll give Kip a call myself about this. I don’t suppose we could talk you into coming back to Chicago now, could we?”

  She laughed. “I’m actually getting to like it here.” She lowered her voice. “And I’ve sort of met someone.”

  “Well, damn!” He chuckled. “I guess that means I’m out of the running.”

  “Your wife definitely says you are,” she teased. “Listen, Ross, thanks for everything on this. You don’t know what a relief this is. You’ll let me know what happens from here on in?”

  “Of course. I’m hoping we don’t have to go through the mess of a trial. We’re counting on the judge to talk some sense into him. Maybe we can even get him some counseling.”

  “I don’t care as long as he stays away from me.”

  “Oh, I can bet. Listen, keep in touch, okay? And I’ll keep you in the loop on all this.”

  Kari hung up the phone and took the first deep breath she’d taken in what seemed like forever. She was hardly able to accept what she had just heard. Some lowly law clerk had been making her life hell. She wanted to kick off her shoes and dance, maybe sing off-key, which was the only way she sang. She picked up her cell phone, worrying her bottom lip as she tried to decide about texting Slade. He said his phone was always off and sometimes on an op he didn’t even have it with him. But if she texted, he’d pick it up sooner or later.

  Before she could change her mind she typed her message.

  Stalker outed. Under arrest. Celebration when you get home.

  She debated adding the word love but decided not to push her luck. She hit Send and stuck the phone in her purse.

  Giddy with excitement, she thought this might be a good time to take Sasha up on her invitation to go out for drinks tonight. She hoped the invite was still good. Kari had been avoiding it, politely turning down all Sasha’s invitations as well as those of any of her other co-workers. She was sure by now they were convinced she was standoffish. She just hadn’t been able to make herself go out for an evening of jokes and drinking, not when she jumped at every shadow. Not when she’d worried about Slade, about where he and his team were. Even Kip, who she knew had Slade’s warning playing in his ears, had encouraged her to take a break.

  “Your co-workers keep asking me why you’re antisocial and if you have a problem with them.”

  “You know what my problem is,” she’d reminded him.

  “But you can’t keep hiding away. Besides the fact that it generates office gossip, it affects your mental health. You need contact with people outside the office and courtroom.”

  Now she didn’t need to hide away anymore. She could go out without being afraid unseen eyes were watching her, or starting at every noise. She hurried to Sasha’s office, catching the woman just as she was shutting down her computer.

  “Really?” Sasha’s jaw dropped as Kari shyly asked if she could still take Sasha up on her offer to join her and her friends. “This isn’t a joke?”

  Kari shook her head. “Not a joke. I’m finally ready to let my hair down for an evening.”

  “Well, hallelujah. You’ll love this place we all go to. And you sure picked a good time for this. Get your purse, girl, and let’s hit the road.”

  “On it.” She had to admit a night out with a crowd of people from work appealed to her.

  If there was one thing people knew about San Antonio, it was its abundance of Tex-Mex restaurants—that particular blend of Texas-Mexican food, cuisine unique to the state. The types of restaurants ran the gamut from tiny neighborhood taquerias, through noisy restaurants with busy bars and filled dining rooms, to the most upscale.

  Olivia’s, located in a shopping center on the north side of the city, was where Sasha and the others gathered tonight. They managed to commandeer one of the larger round tables in the middle of the room.

  “We’re so glad you decided to come out with us tonight.” Across the table one of the paralegals smiled at her.

  “Thanks for including me.” Kari looked around.

  “Didn’t I tell you?” Sasha, sitting next to her, nudged her with her elbow. “Olivia’s is almost like a second home to us. The frozen margaritas and special salsa with chips are just the recipe after a shit day like today.”

  Kari, taking another sip of the icy liquid and savoring its sharp taste, had to agree with her. Olivia’s seemed to have it all—a warm, friendly atmosphere, a smiling staff and, if the first sip of hers was any indication, killer drinks. Colorful serapes and sombreros hung on the walls, along with posters depicting scenes of Mexico. The waitresses were dressed in colorful skirts that swirled around their legs and white peasant blouses. The bartenders wore matador vests and big grins.

  Yes, she had to agree this was a treasure of a place.

  Sasha leaned closer, and lowered her voice, although at the noise level in the place it was hard enough to hear anyway.

  “Did you hear Hal Grayson’s going to be first chair on this case?”

  “I know.” Kari was doing her best to stuff her resentment in the closet. The case involved a very high-profile accused who’d assembled a very high-priced team of attorneys. “You’d think after I won the Harold Webster murder case, they’d let me take this one.”

  Sasha gave a ladylike snort. “Are you kidding? I’m not even sure I’d want it. The son of a sitting judge who’s been re-elected four times? And has the backing of every politico in the city? Both parties? You’d either be the person who put his son away—and God knows how he’d take it out on you—or else the person who let his attorney get him a not guilty verdict and people would wonder if you’d been bought off.”

  “You’re so cheerful,” Kari said with a wry smile. Dipping a warm chip into the spicy salsa, she then popped the whole thing in her mouth and sighed as the flavors burst on her
tongue. “Man, this place makes the best dip I’ve ever tasted. Anyway, what makes you think as second and third chair we won’t get tainted the same way?”

  “Because it’s always the lead attorney they remember—the one whose ass is on the line with the big boss.”

  “Truthfully, Kari?” Sasha went on. “I’d just as soon let Hal Grayson take the heat for this one. There’ll be others just as tough that won’t get us burned. Or on Kip’s shit list.”

  That was the truth. Kip Reyes was in his third term and more than lived up to his reputation as a tough prosecutor. He expected the same of the assistant district attorneys on his staff. Sasha had accumulated an enviable record through sheer grit and guts. Kari was batting a thousand since she’d moved to the city and joined the staff. Still, they knew, like everyone else, that with Kip you were only as good as your last performance.

  In some remote ways Kip reminded her of Slade—tall, lean, dark, totally masculine. Always in command. The face he presented to the world was expressionless and hard, but he’d been nothing but kind to her. If not for him and his wife, she’d never have gone to the party at the Huttons’ and reconnected with Slade. Nor would she be out tonight having drinks and snacks with people from work. She’d be hiding in her apartment as usual, locked into her pattern of behaving.

  Slade Donovan. Just thinking of his name conjured up an image of him in her mind. Since he’d been gone, she’d relived every minute of that incredible week over and over. Despite his very macho image, the ultimate warrior, there was a humanity to him, buried under all those layers of machismo, that she was just beginning to uncover. She’d felt it five years ago at their first encounter, a connection that had gone much deeper than sex. Nothing had happened since to diminish it.

  He’d been gone for five weeks now. He’d managed to call three times and text a few. The rest of the time she knew he probably wasn’t near any communications system. Still, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. She missed his touch, the feel of him inside her, the caress of his fingers. Tonight she couldn’t stop herself from checking her cell phone regularly, just in case he had a break and managed to read her text messages. Even now, she slid a glance at it lying on the table next to her.