Haunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse Duet Book 1)

by H. D. Carlton

  Mark quirks a brow. “Yes, he was.”

  Addie clears her throat. “My Nana mentioned Frank a time or two.”

  He chuckles. “Yeah, we played together when we were younger.”

  “So, why did your father think John did it?”

  Mark shrugs a shoulder. “Not sure, to be honest, but I do remember that Gigi and John were fighting a lot. He was real adamant, but there wasn’t any evidence to prove it. I was pretty young back then, so my memory might be a little sparse. But there were a few nights he would drink an entire bottle of Jack, always muttering under his breath about making "him" pay for what happened.” He finger quotes the word him. “I know their friendship fell apart after her murder. John was a raging alcoholic, and my dad was devastated that he lost two good friends."

  Addie’s eyes are wide with excitement. Clearly, she cares. Solving Gigi’s murder means a lot to her. But I know she’s only trying to prove something to herself.

  If it wasn’t for the fact that she has her own stalker, I don’t know if Addie would’ve even bothered figuring out who murdered her great-grandmother.

  It’s not about finding who did it, it’s about proving that it was Gigi’s stalker and no one else. I get the feeling that if she can one hundred percent prove it, then it’ll cement the fact that all stalkers are murderous psychos, and she can finally hate me and shut me out for good.

  And all that tells me is I’m getting through the diamond-encrusted fortress surrounding her heart.

  She wants something concrete to believe in because her morals and fundamental beliefs are being challenged.

  Mark’s phone rings, cutting off any further questions Addie was gearing up to ask. Mark glances at his phone and silences it, but from the way his face has turned serious, I know something is calling him away.

  “That was my associate. I gotta head out for some business,” he starts, swallowing down the rest of his drink and standing. “But listen, I’m hosting a charity event at my house next weekend. It would be my absolute honor if you both could attend.”

  “Oh, I don’t know…” Addie says, the discomfort renewed. Last thing she wants is to pretend to be my girlfriend any longer than she has to.

  Wonder what she’s going to do when we’re married, and her belly is swollen with my child.

  Quite the predicament she’ll be in there.

  “Please, I would be insulted if you didn’t show. Zack here has been a wonderful friend, and I would be heartbroken not to see you two there.” Noting the trepidation in her eyes, he tacks on, “If you’d like, we can talk further about your great-grandmother’s case. With my father being so close to your family, I was around John and Gigi quite a bit growing up. In fact, Sera and I played together all the time. I’m sure there’s some potential information rattling around in my head.”

  Fucker.

  He’s manipulating her, and that’s a big no-no. No one manipulates my girl but me.

  “I have a few business meetings that weekend,” I cut in, keeping my face controlled but growing a tad angry by the reluctant interest in Addie’s eyes. She wants that information and Mark damn well knows it.

  Mark places a hand over his chest. “Not possible to reschedule?”

  “I’ll get back to you tomorrow,” I promise. He acquiesces, satisfied with that answer. Dickhead is confident I’ll say yes, and I’m not even sure if he’s wrong anymore now that he’s fucking hooked Addie.

  He slaps a hundred-dollar bill to cover the tab, says his goodbyes, and heads off. With his presence gone, it feels like the air opens up again and I can breathe. He sure has a way of sucking everything good out of the world when he’s around.

  I look to Addie, and she’s already staring at me. She doesn’t say anything, waiting for me to explain myself.

  Sighing, I push out of my chair and hold out my hand, prompting her to grab it. Unsurprisingly, she ignores it. Grabbing her laptop case, she stands and follows me.

  I walk her to her car in silence, and she doesn’t push.

  “I’m not letting you within ten feet of that place. Him even knowing about you was never supposed to happen,” I say firmly. We arrive at her SUV. She unlocks the door but doesn't move to get in it yet.

  “I don’t want to get involved, either,” she snaps. She looks away, contemplating something as she chews her bottom lip. The urge to suck it between my own teeth reemerges. “I don’t know what the hell you’re involved in, Zade, clearly something I probably don’t want to know about, but I think keeping me away from it is a bit too late.” She sighs, gearing herself up for whatever she’s going to say next.

  “You already got dangerous men on my ass, so what’s one more, right? I’ll go with you this one time. I’ll get the information I need, and you get whatever you need from him.”

  I never told her I needed anything from him, but I think she can sense I’m involved with this man for a reason.

  “Afterwards, we can pretend to break up. You can actually get out of my life while you’re at it, maybe take Max and them with you, and that will be the end of it.”

  I cock a brow, and her eyes latch onto the movement.

  It’s not that simple when it comes to the underbelly of society. When you’re dealing with seriously evil people, you don’t just get out. Mark has his eyes on Addie, whether she realizes it or not. And if we “break up”—which would never fucking happen—she’s free game.

  Instead of saying all that, I just nod. “You’ll come with me just this once. You’ll be safe and protected. And afterwards, I promise that Mark will never see you again.”

  Because I’m going to kill him.

  I just need to ride this out a bit longer until I can get the information I need.

  “And the rest?” she pushes, thinning her eyes.

  “If you’re expecting me to say that we’re going to break up, you’re more delusional than you believe me to be. There will never be an end to me and you. But I can assure you Max is not going to be a problem any longer. He and I had a nice little talk, and he's promised to be a good boy.”

  Her eyes round. “Did you threaten him?”

  “Well, what else would I do, baby? Ask him nicely and say pretty please?”

  Her lip curls. “You probably just made him angrier.”

  “If he miraculously develops a pair that are bigger than the ping pong balls he's got swinging between his legs and tries to hurt you, he'll be taken care of.”

  She wrinkles her nose, and I don’t think she can decide if she wants to question how I know what size his balls are. I’d rather not relive that nightmare.

  “Taken care of how? You’re going to murder him too?”

  “Of course I am. Slowly, too. Start with snipping the Achille’s heel so he can’t run, and then—”

  “That's fucked up, you're going to jail,” she cuts in, disgust curling her lip. “Actually, I hope you go to prison and are sentenced to death.”

  She turns with a snarl, but she doesn’t make it a step before my hand snaps out, capturing her arm and whipping her back around, directly into my chest.

  Addie inhales sharply, her eyes dilating as I seize the back of her neck with one hand and grab her delectable ass with the other, lifting her up against my body.

  "Will you be my last meal, baby?”

  Her mouth parts and her breathing hitches. Those light brown eyes are wide and swollen with emotion. Shock. Awe.

  Desire.

  I lean in close, my mouth hovering a mere inch from hers.

  “You taste like heaven. I could feast on that sweet little pussy for hours and still die a starving man. It’ll be the closest I will ever get to God before they inject me with that needle, don’t you agree?”

  She’s speechless, so I take advantage and capture those sweet lips with my own. She tenses beneath my hold but doesn’t pull away. The taste of fruit from her margarita blooms on my tongue, and I can’t help but groan.

  “You taste like fucking nirvana,” I rasp, before suc
king her bottom lip into my mouth. The faintest little moan slips free, and it’s enough to drive me wild with hunger. I’m ravenous and only the depths of her body will feed the monster.

  Addie’s hands clench the front of my hoodie as I devour her. The hand cupping her plump ass slides lower until my fingers are brushing across her jean-clad pussy. Cupping her from behind, I lift her higher, grinding my rock-hard cock into her.

  Her next moan is free of restraint, ringing loud and clear as it vibrates across my tongue.

  “Mommy, are they having sex?”

  The loud voice of a little girl breaks the shroud of lust. Addie jerks violently and scrambles back, bumping into her car to get away from me.

  “Penny, get in the car,” the mother snaps from somewhere behind me. Addie’s rounded eyes drift over my shoulder, and whatever she sees has her face reddening to a concerning color. She’s panting heavily and flushed from both embarrassment and desire.

  I turn my head to the side, glimpsing over my shoulder to see a blonde woman ushering her small child into the car. Her own face is red. She catches me looking and shoots me a scornful glare. I just smirk and turn back to my trembling little mouse.

  She clears her throat, embarrassed and soaking wet by the flush of her cheeks and clenched thighs. She looks around, burning from the harsh wake-up call that we’re in a parking lot in broad daylight.

  “That was inappropriate, don’t… don’t do that again. Just text me the details, okay?” she snaps, stuttering over her words. She goes to turn but stops. “Oh, and can you just text me from a normal fucking number? I know it’s you now. Quit trying to be cute.”

  And with that, she gets in her car with an irritated huff and slams the door behind her.

  Despite the clusterfuck we’ve just found ourselves in, I laugh, biting my swollen bottom lip between my teeth. She does a double-take through the window, her eyes locking on my mouth.

  Then she seems to shake herself, start her car, and speed off, tires squealing from the urgency to get away from me.

  I fucking love it when she runs.

  Chapter 23

  The Manipulator

  “Y ou’re going where to do what?” Daya barks through the phone. I sigh, closing my eyes in resignation. “And with who? Zade? That’s your stalker’s name?”

  “Yeah.” I bite my lip. “I don’t know if I really had a choice…” I trail off. Because that’s not entirely true. Zade was going to say no to Mark. But I made him say yes. Mark has information on Gigi and supposedly has valuable information for Zade as well.

  “Look, I don’t know what this man is into, Daya. But whatever it is, it’s really fucking serious. And I can say that he really did try to avoid the situation.”

  “How the hell did this even happen, Addie?” Daya asks, frustration evident in her tone.

  “I was working on my manuscript at Bailey’s when Zade and a fucking senator approached me, introduced himself and said he wanted to meet Zack’s girlfriend. Zade was staring at him like he wanted to murder him. And he asked me to go along with it until he could get rid of Mark. Long story short, Mark’s father was best friends with my great-grandfather, John. He said he’d tell me more if I agreed to go to the party.”

  “So the man manipulated you,” Daya deadpans.

  I sigh. “Pretty much,” I say, before rubbing my lips together.

  Daya stays silent, and if it weren’t for her angry breathing on the other line, I’d think she hung up. Wouldn’t blame her if she did.

  I am going to a party with my stalker.

  All for some information that might not even help me.

  “Addie, what does this man do for a living?”

  I blink. “I’m not entirely sure, to be honest,” I answer truthfully.

  “He’s not Z, is he? Because that would be fucking insane, but it would also make sense.”

  I frown. “What makes you think he is? Do you know a lot about that organization or something?"

  Daya hesitates before she admits, "That's who I work for."

  My mouth pops open.

  I've heard of Z from social media and news outlets. It's a massive vigilante organization built around destroying the government. A we for the people type of org, and basically the government's public enemy number one.

  I knew Daya was a vigilante of sorts, I just didn't know she did it for Z. In that case, it doesn't sound like she is aware of a connection between Mark and the organization.

  And if Zade is indeed who she thinks he is, that means I'm now involved in something so much more than I thought it was, if even Daya is ignorant to it.

  God, could Zade really be Z? It would explain his inexplicable ability to get past my security cameras. But more than that, it would explain him befriending and hiding his real identity from a goddamn senator. How the hell did I get so unlucky that the ultimate hacker would stalk me?

  I never really stood a chance.

  “I don’t know, Daya. I honestly don’t. I just… really want to solve this case. Gigi didn’t deserve what happened to her. And I think Mark might be able to give us some insight on the case.”

  “Addie, I love you, but you’re crazy. There are other routes to look at, you don’t need to go to a goddamn senator’s party with a fucking stalker to get a bit of information. A stalker that might be a world-renowned hacker and vigilante.”

  She’s right.

  Totally valid point.

  But I'd be a liar if I said going to the party tonight didn't stir something in my chest that feels sublime. The thrill. The adrenaline rush. The danger. It stirs something deep in my core, too.

  It calls to me and I’m too weak to ignore it.

  But that’s something that I can never explain to Daya. She’s logical. Reasonable. Smart. And she’s not an adrenaline junkie like I without a doubt am. She doesn’t get a thrill out of danger.

  I should’ve been a stunt double or something.

  “I know you’re going to think I’m even more insane than I already am, but at least for this occasion, I really feel like Zade will protect me. In fact, I know he will.”

  It’s Daya’s turn to sigh. “Honestly, I don’t doubt that, Addie. If he is who I think he is… he’s doing some good in the world. And he’s clearly obsessed with you in a very unhealthy manner, but from the sounds of it, he’s not the typical stalker where he’s out to murder you. I think he just really, really wants to be with you and is handling it in a very creepy fucking manner.”

  I laugh even though it’s not a funny situation. It’s not necessarily something to make light of, considering we don’t know if he’ll just turn around and kill me, but it makes me feel better.

  "Just please keep in mind that you don't know this guy, and he might not have good intentions."

  I laugh dryly. "Trust me, I haven't forgotten."

  “When is this party?”

  I twist my red-painted lips and give myself a slow perusal in the mirror. I’m wearing a red strapless gown, the top half encrusted with thousands of tiny diamonds throughout the lacy material. The bottom half molds to my body like a second skin with a large slit slicing all the way to mid-thigh. Diamond strappy gold heels adorn my feet, while my hair is curled into beach waves, the tendrils falling around my shoulders.

  It’s both sexy and elegant.

  Zade sent it to me, and the rebellious side of me almost threw it out to go and find my own damn dress. But then my imagination got away from me.

  And I couldn’t stop myself from picturing the look in his eyes when he sees me wearing the dress and shoes he chose for me. I was horrified by the butterflies that were set free in my stomach with the incessant desire to bring that image to life.

  “Tonight,” I say quietly, a frown tugging at my lips.

  What are you doing, Addie?

  Zade picks me up in a classic Mustang. The metal gleams in the moonlight, glinting off the rock in the sky as if it was built to be seen after sundown.

  Shakily, I make my way down t
he porch steps. I wrap my long trench coat tighter around my body, partly to ward off the chill and partly to ward off the anxiety stirring in my gut.

  I can’t tell if I have a bad feeling about tonight or not. What I do know is that whatever happens, I’m going to see Zade in an entirely new light and discover new things about him. Things that might make me hate him more… or less.

  And the latter is what I’m scared of most.

  Before I can make my way to the car, his driver’s side door is swinging open, and a suit-clad leg is stepping out.

  Oxygen crystallizes in my lungs as Zade takes one last hit of his cigarette before flicking it to the ground and stomping it out. Smoke billows from his mouth as he looks at me from beneath hooded eyes.

  Jesus Christ.

  “You shouldn’t litter,” I say hoarsely, earning a slight grin in return. He bends and picks up the cigarette butt and deposits it in his pocket.

  “Sorry, baby,” he rasps. “Won’t happen again.”

  I can hardly say thank you when I’m too enraptured by the dark God before me.

  He’s absolutely breathtaking. And I’d like to blame the cold autumn air on the ice in my lungs, but I know better.

  Zade is adorned in an all-black suit. Every single inch of the fabric stitched to the exact millimeter of his body. It fits him impeccably, molding to his muscular arms, trimmed waist, and thick thighs.

  My knees weaken, along with my resolve.

  I have the most insane urge to turn around, walk back in that house, bend over the couch and let him fuck the rest of whatever sanity I have left out of me.

  I want to be delirious from his cock, and to make matters worse, I know he would absolutely surpass every one of my expectations if I let him.

  God?

  I don’t even get to finish that thought before he’s walking towards me, a sinfully dark smirk on his face.

  The black suit does nothing but darken his aura. Zade is Hades, stepping out from the underworld and wreaking havoc on my quiet little life. The wicked scar cutting through his nearly-white eye, with his other nearly-black eye is a combination that could only be forged in Hell.