Haunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse Duet Book 1)

by H. D. Carlton

  I wipe the tears from her cheeks, silently praising her for flinching away from my touch, even though it makes me feel like my insides are in a dumpster fire.

  “Don’t cry, sweetie,” I coo aloud. She cries harder, and my heart blisters from the fury.

  Dan licks his lips with unrestrained hunger, reaching over to do what—I don’t know. My hand that’s wrapped around her neck whips out, grabbing his hand with a firmness that has him instantly freezing.

  “I don’t share,” I growl, letting some of the pent-up anger loose. Dan jerks his hand away, raising them in the air in surrender.

  “Possessive,” he chuckles, glancing at the guests. Embarrassment flashes in his eyes, but it’s gone before it can truly settle. That just might come back to bite me in the ass—Dan also isn’t the type of man that takes well to public humiliation.

  Not that I’m truly concerned with the backlash. He’ll be dead soon anyways.

  While Dan’s eyes cast over the dinner table, I slyly press the button on my watch, keeping my hands under the table. By the time his eyes are drifting back to me, my hands return to their previous position.

  “Please, proceed… brother,” he tacks on at the end, the word said with an inflection of challenge.

  I flash a feral grin, not holding back in the slightest. His eyes heat at the sight, likely assuming that he’s about to get a show of a lifetime.

  Before either of us can move, a loud banging on the front door startles us both. A muffled, indiscernible shout follows. Dan’s eyes look towards the front of the house, brow furrowing in confusion.

  “Who the hell would dare…?” he mutters under his breath, aghast that someone is nearly breaking down his front door.

  Panicked, hushed whispers rise from the group, the guests turning to each other with fearful gazes.

  “Daniel,” I snap, catching his attention. “I don’t want to wait much longer.”

  “Of course, I’ll be sure to hurry,” he placates, appearing more flustered as others from the table continue to speak their concern and discomfort. Another loud crash startles the group, and then seconds later, a booming crash sounds, causing the guests to jump. Some even rise from their seats, ready to bolt.

  And then, “FBI! GET DOWN ON THE GROUND NOW!”

  The rest of the guests jump up now, myself included. Gently, I set Sarah down beside me but hold onto her arm firmly as the room breaks out into chaos. The dinner guests scatter like ants, screams and shouts bouncing around the room.

  The door to the dining room crashes open, eliciting more screams. Several FBI agents storm the room, shouting out demands for everybody to get down.

  “Let’s go,” I whisper to the girl, attempting to guide her towards the kitchen door.

  She struggles and screams for one of the agents, that dormant fire in her finally erupting.

  I’m so fucking proud of her.

  I pick her up and whisper in her ear. “Those FBI agents are with me. I’m going to take you back home, but I need you to work with me.”

  The second the word home leaves my mouth, her struggling ceases. She looks at me, her brown eyes full of tears.

  “You could be lying,” she sniffles, distrust in her eyes. Another surge of pride overtakes me as I stuff my hand in my pocket and pull out a fake FBI badge, flashing it to her discreetly—the first lie I’ve truly told her. She reluctantly concedes, nodding her head. I bolt towards the kitchen door, not wasting another second.

  In the chaos, no one will notice me slipping out. But if they do, it won’t hurt my case with Dan. I plan on telling him I did exactly that.

  No one is in the lavish kitchen. If anyone were in here before, they probably ran when they heard the FBI break-in.

  I slip out of the back sliding door, making my way across the massive porch, and towards the stairs.

  The cool air is a balm to my heated skin. This suit is confining. I much prefer my jeans and hoodie to this shit.

  “Are you going to take me back to my mommy and daddy?” Sarah asks quietly. Her soft, sweet voice is almost a shock to my system.

  Adrenaline has been coursing through my veins steadily since the moment she was brought into that room. The chemical won’t dissipate from my body until she’s off this property.

  “I am,” I promise gently.

  Her hand lifts, her tiny finger tracing one of the scars on my face.

  “Does this hurt?”

  “Not anymore,” I say quietly, suppressing the urge to lean away from her touch. I’m not used to anyone touching my scars. When Addie did, it felt like fire lacing across the dead skin. Now, with Sarah, it feels a tad uncomfortable. But not unbearable.

  “Did the bad guys that took me do this to you?”

  “Not the same bad guys, but bad guys all the same.”

  She seems to think that over, digesting my words slowly. She blinks at me and wipes away some snot leaking from her nose.

  “Do you know if mommy and daddy are alive?”

  I nearly trip over my feet when she asks the question.

  Considering I didn’t know the girl’s identity beforehand, I haven’t had a chance to look into her background. I’ve no idea who her parents are, or what kind of home she comes from.

  “Is there a reason you think they wouldn’t be?” I ask. I make it to the meet up spot, outside of view of any cameras and the front of the house where Dan is.

  Her eyes drop, long lashes fan across her chubby cheeks, still damp from her tears.

  “I don’t know where they are,” she says simply.

  “When’s the last time you saw them?”

  She shrugs her little shoulders and says, “I dunno.”

  I sigh, giving in to the urge and rolling my neck to ease some tension. Ruby should be here soon to take care of Sarah while I finish up business.

  Soon, the agents will lug Dan and anyone else out to be taken down to the station on false charges.

  They’re false agents to begin with, hired by myself. Luckily, I have a few high-ranking FBI agents in my pocket, which is the only thing that made this night possible.

  They’ll bring Dan down to the station on suspicion of smuggling drugs. They will release him by tomorrow morning when they don’t find anything.

  Dan will insist the FBI agents responsible be fired, and considering no real agents were involved, the fake ones will be easily let go of. False paperwork will be filed, and Dan will be satisfied. Or as satisfied as you can be when your dinner party is interrupted by your front door getting kicked in.

  “How old are you, shortcake?”

  “Five,” she chirps.

  “I’ll try to find your mommy and daddy, okay? If I can’t, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

  She nods her little head, her brown eyes now latched back onto me.

  “Then will you be my daddy?”

  Fuck. Can’t say I’ve ever been asked that one before. I force a smile. Adoption isn’t out of the question, but that’s something I’ll have to consult with Addie first. She’d be her mommy, after all.

  Before I can answer, Ruby is sneaking up to take Sarah off to a safe place. Ruby stays silent, understanding how dire the situation is. When she approaches the small child gripping onto my hand, she whispers to her quietly, urging her to come with her so she can make sure she’s safe. Sarah hesitates.

  “You can trust her,” I say softly. Sarah looks up at me with massive brown eyes and fuck, I’m a puddle of ice cream.

  “Will I see you again?”

  Swallowing, I nod, incapable of giving a verbal answer. Sarah is satisfied though and allows Ruby to lead her off into the night.

  Before they completely disappear around another house, Sarah turns her head and gives me one last look.

  I’m a goner.

  Just as they round the corner, an FBI agent comes up behind me and grabs my arm roughly.

  “Thought you could sneak away?”

  I laugh quietly, even as he jerks both my arms behind my back and slaps
handcuffs on them.

  Roughly, he leads me up back towards the front of the mansion, where Dan is still loud-mouthing the agents and demanding his lawyer.

  “Got a runner,” the agent attached to me calls out. Dan pauses mid-tirade to look over at us. I can’t be sure from this distance, but it almost appears as if Dan's face goes lax with relief for just a moment.

  “He has nothing to do with anything,” Dan says, his face tightening once more with anger.

  “Yeah, okay, buddy,” the agent snorts from behind me. I’m actually surprised by the fact that Dan is trying to defend me.

  “Why am I even being arrested?” I snarl, feigning anger.

  “You tried sneaking off during an FBI raid. That’s grounds for suspicion.”

  “I’m terribly sorry about this, Zack,” Dan cuts in. “This doesn’t involve you.”

  I shrug a shoulder, the movement awkward against the cuffs. “S'kay. These assholes will be fired by morning,” I say with a shit-eating grin.

  Dan scoffs and corrects me, “By the end of the night.”

  “Yeah whatever, fuckers. Get in the car before I accidentally smash your head off the car on the way in.”

  I twist in my binds. “What’s your name?”

  The agent grins. “Michael.”

  “Well, Michael, I hope you don’t mind shitting out teeth because you’re about to eat them.”

  Michael laughs, a glimmer in his eyes. Dan starts up again when another agent leads him into the back of a cop car. His rant is cut off by the slam of the door.

  “Get in the goddamn car, Z. I am hungry, but it’s not for my teeth.”

  Chuckling, I comply.

  Chapter 40

  The Shadow

  I don’t remember ever being a needy child. Growing up, I had a great relationship with my parents. My mother was incredibly loving, and my father was supportive and very involved in my life.

  But I was always a naturally independent person. Determined to do things on my own without help. And because my parents showered me with love and attention, it wasn’t something I sought out.

  I can’t say that anymore.

  Addie’s mouth is wide open, drool steadily leaking from her mouth. She’s snoring softly, and I don’t think I’ve gotten the chance to tease her about that yet. She’s going to get angry, and I smile just thinking about it.

  Despite her disheveled state, my cock is incredibly hard. The witch went to bed in nothing but a white, silky set, and the second I slowly drew back the covers, I nearly went to my knees.

  Did my little mouse wear that just for me?

  Reaching out, I trace a finger up her thigh, enjoying the sight of her skin puckering. She shifts, moaning softly at the disturbance in her sleep.

  How would she feel waking up with my cock inside her?

  She shifts again when I finger the strap of her underwear. Normally, she wakes up fairly easily. And despite Addie giving in to me, I’m not foolish enough to believe I don’t set her on edge still.

  Which means she had a few drinks.

  Grinning, I toe off my shoes and slide out of the suffocating suit I’ve been wearing all night.

  After we got to the station, they hauled Dan off to a separate room and let me go. I came straight here, my body strung tight with the need to bury myself inside my little mouse.

  Completely naked, I slide into the bed next to Addie, curling her body into mine.

  Her eyes flutter, and I watch as she regains consciousness. When her eyes slide up to my face, they widen ever so slightly.

  I could’ve tried to fuck her while asleep, but I decide to hold off on that until Addie admits her love for me and freely accepts mine. Until I can fuck her without a fight, though I think some part of Addie will always fight me.

  Although I’ve taken advantage of Addie on several occasions, at least her being awake and coherent allowed me to watch her body’s reactions. Doesn’t make it right. But her body has always wept for me.

  And if it ever didn’t, I wouldn’t have touched her until it did.

  “Why are you in my bed staring at me like a creep?” she asks, her voice groggy with sleep.

  I chuckle. “I thought it’d been established that I’m a creep already?”

  “It has, and yet you still keep doing it.”

  “Would you like me to stop?” I query, sliding my hands down her backside. She sucks in a sharp breath, appearing much more awake and alert as I grip her plump ass in my palms.

  “No,” she admits quietly. She looks so tiny and vulnerable admitting it, so I stay quiet.

  She trails her finger across the tattoos on my chest, her eyes averted firmly away from mine.

  "Do these mean anything?" she murmurs, seeming as if she’s concentrating hard on the design.

  "No," I answer. "I have them because I like them. I prefer to keep anything of significance as a possession."

  Frowning, she peers up at me through long lashes. "Why? I would think your body would be the one place you would have anything meaningful. You carry it around everywhere you go."

  I lift a shoulder. "My body is just a vessel that my soul inhabits, attached to a shell that it'll one day leave. And when that day comes, I won’t care to let that shell go. I carry my body around because I have to, not because it's a choice. But when I possess something meaningful, I’m choosing to hold on to it. Carrying something meaningful in my skin is effortless but holding onto something that I could lose—that takes devotion."

  She drops her eyes back down, seeming to contemplate my words. I curl my finger under her chin, wanting—no needing, her eyes back. They suck the oxygen from my lungs, and I’ve always loved to toe the line between life and death.

  Those pretty brown eyes fasten on mine, big and round, and all I want to do is consume her.

  “I will always possess you, little mouse. So, know that you have all of my devotion to keeping you.”

  “Why does it always sound like a threat?” she wonders aloud, though a small smile tips the corner of her lips.

  I grin. “Because it is.”

  I roll to my back, bringing her with me so she’s sprawled out on my chest.

  “Zade,” she warns, but her words contrast against her actions. She shifts her legs, so she’s straddling me, her center lined up on my cock. I can feel how hot and wet she is through the silk of her underwear.

  Gritting my teeth, I ball my hands into fists, fighting the instinct to rip the sorry excuse for panties to shreds so that I can feel how ready she is to take me inside her.

  “Adeline,” I echo.

  Her light brown eyes are shaded, but I can feel the effect all the same. She’s leaning just above me, her soft body molded to mine. I swear I can feel the tension lining her hips as she resists the need to grind her pussy on me.

  “What?” she whispers, feigning ignorance.

  “Sit on my cock. Now.”

  Her breathing hitches, and with her breasts pressed tightly against mine, I can’t tell if the rapid pulsing in my chest is from her heart or mine.

  The internal struggle in her head is loud, and indecision radiates from her.

  Eventually, she sits up, her body cutting through the strands of moonlight shining through the balcony doors.

  And I crumble.

  Her curvy body is cascaded in both shadows and light, the two forbidden lovers clashing on her skin and creating a fucking masterpiece.

  Her beauty is blinding, turning my body into ash beneath her light.

  She drags her hand down her flat stomach until her fingertips tease the edges of her underwear.

  “Addie,” I snarl through clenched teeth. My hands slide up her thighs, pausing at the juncture where they meet her hips. I’m a weak man, and I don’t possess the strength to deny the need to touch her.

  “Yes, Zade?” she asks, her husky voice low and breathy. My hips jerk impatiently in response. She smiles, the act wicked and cruel.

  Finally, she lifts up and slides her underwear to
the side, baring her pussy. I lift my hips again, desperate for contact, but she evades me, hovering just out of reach.

  “You have five fucking sec—”

  “Shh, baby.” I’m so thrown by her calling me ‘baby’ that my threat vanishes, as if my voice were a ghost teasing the corner of your eye.

  Her smile widens at my incredulous look, but I’m only confused why she thought calling me baby would calm me down.

  Now all I want to do is flip her on her knees, pin that pretty face into the sheets, and fuck her until her head is coming out the underside of the bed.

  Before I can make good on it, she finally drops her hips. I groan at the feeling of my cock being enveloped by slick heat as she glides up and down my length. My head kicks back, and my hands tighten on her hips. Bruises will mar her skin and the thought only enrages the beast more.

  “Fuck, Add—”

  I have no time to even finish my prayer before the tip of my cock is slipping inside, and I’m completely incapable of formulating words.

  Slowly—tortuously, she works my cock inside her, balancing her weight on my stomach. Little, breathless pants puff from her mouth while I tremble beneath her.

  So fucking tight.

  “God, I’m too full,” she whimpers, her own body trembling as she works to take me in.

  “Baby, I’m not going to be able to control myself much longer. Sit. Down.”

  Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, she lifts up one last time before seating herself completely on my cock.

  A yelp bursts from her lips, her eyes round discs. My body hums from the euphoria of her pussy wrapped so fucking tightly around me.

  Goddamn nirvana. There’s nothing like it.

  “Now move,” I rasp out, my control slipping as I pump my hips up once. It’s enough to send electric shocks down my spine.

  Her chin tips up, eyes rolling as she swivels her hips.

  “Oh,” she moans, continuing the movement until we’re both delirious. She moves slow and languid, sliding up and down and twisting her hips in a way that makes me see entire constellations.

  Her eyes are pinched shut, her little mouth parted as she gets pleasure from my cock. It feels incredible, enough to make me come if I allowed it, but I need more. I need her fast, and hard.