Texas Hellcat

by Shelley Stringer

  “My head hurts. I guess it’s all the adrenalin and everything,” I replied. I was having a really hard time keeping my emotions in check. It wasn’t so much the attack, but Liam. He was here, offering comfort. I wanted to launch myself at him but I couldn’t. My chest ached hollow with the knowledge I’d already turned him away because I felt inadequate, and nothing had changed. I felt lower than ever--forever a target. I felt my life would always be drenched in white-trash drama. There would always be an incident of some sort -- something sordid or off-color that would haunt me, and therefore haunt Liam. The reporters with cameras and microphones would always be there to shed light on the low-class girl in his life. I would have been the girl with all the secrets adding un-needed drama to his family and their privileged world.

  “Let’s get you up to bed,” he urged, slipping his hands under me. I began to protest, but he pressed his finger against my lips. I complied, remaining silent. I knew the others watched from the galley. As Liam carried me, I caught a glimpse over Liam’s shoulder of Scott moving toward the apartment door, a slight limp to his gait. I frowned, watching him. Liam caught my gaze.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Scott. He’s limping.”

  He considered my comment for a moment, then replied softly, “He must have turned his ankle or something when he was chasing your intruder.”

  I clutched his shoulders loosely as he climbed the metal staircase with me, crossing through the heavy-draperies and sinking down to one knee as he placed me on my bed.

  “What are you doing here?” I whispered up to him in the darkness.

  “What do you mean, Hellcat?” he asked, caressing my cheek with the back of his hand.

  “How did you…why were you at my door? Why are you here?”

  “I needed to see you, to try to talk some sense into you. And now, more than ever, I know you don’t need to be alone.”

  “You don’t have to protect me, Liam. That’s not your job anymore.”

  “Kelly, stop it. I know you want me. I can see it in your eyes. Why do you keep pushing me away? Are you determined to be miserable?”

  I stared at him for a moment. He looked so good, the clean, masculine scent of his cologne stirring memories and something deep inside me. I could almost taste his skin, the memories of my mouth trailing down his abs, his stomach…my heart clenched hard, the ache so deep inside I almost sobbed out loud. I shut my eyes tightly. I could give in so easily. I could soak in his love, and the knowledge this sexy, beautiful man wanted me. I could see myself falling for him so deeply, and then being crushed alive as the images of him turning away from me filled my head. He would surely be disgusted with me as he learned everything about me, exhausted at trying to rid himself of the weight of the scandals and unanswered questions. I couldn’t bear the pain if he was the one who left. I couldn’t bear the intense pain I knew I’d experience if I let myself go and savored his love, and then he realized he couldn’t settle for someone like me. If I let him stay, I would have to tell him everything, and that just wasn’t’ going to happen. I had to cut him loose now while I could still salvage something of my privacy.

  “No. I just want to be realistic. I should have stopped this before it even started because it will never work. We’re too different, and I think it would be best if you would just leave now.”

  “Why do I feel like you’re lying to me, Kelly? Your lips are moving, and I hear what you’re saying, but your eyes, baby--your eyes are drawing me in. Give us a chance, Kel. Please. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, and I don’t know what to do with these feelings when you’re gone. I miss you, baby.”

  “Liam, I…” I was caving. I had to find something, something to get him off track, somehow. The uneasy feeling I’d had as if something were off suddenly surfaced. I thought about the first moments he’d been in the apartment.

  “Answer me one question,” I challenged, having something concrete to hold up in front of me.

  “Anything, you know that, Cat,” he replied softly. His eagerness to give me anything just made me angrier.

  “Why did you call Scott first, instead of the police? What was he doing here with you, if all you came to do was talk to me?” My voice suddenly shook with emotion.

  “Why all the questions? What…” He searched my eyes warily; the only emotion on his face was a tick in his jaw.

  “I just want to know why you didn’t call the police immediately. I want to know how Scott just mysteriously showed up on cue.” I retorted in a huff.

  Liam narrowed his eyes at me. “He didn’t arrive on cue, Kel. He came with me. When we arrived, we parked in the garage next door and then as we came down the sidewalk, we heard you scream. I bolted into your building, and I guess Scott saw the man come out of your window. He chased after him, but even with the limp, couldn’t catch him. I figured something must have held him up when I realized he wasn’t behind me at your door. I didn’t have time to call him until I got into your apartment. He explained what happened with the guy when I finally called him.”

  His explanation seemed plausible, but something still didn’t seem right, like he was hiding something.

  “Why, after all this time? We haven’t spoken in days,” I murmured, looking down at my hands.

  “Not because I didn’t want to, Kel. I’ve been trying to give you some space. Everything moved so fast between us, I’ll admit. How can I make you understand how much I want you? That I don’t see you like you see yourself?”

  I had to steel myself against his comment. I was caving.

  “Why is Scott even here with you?” I asked, perplexed. “Why would you call him before you even called the police?”

  He sighed, running his hands through his hair agitatedly. “Scott is a friend from football. We played together. He runs a security business here in Austin, and he pretty much shadows me or dad…whoever needs him. The past couple of years or so, with Dad and me more and more involved with politics, we’ve kept him pretty busy. He’s never far away, you just haven’t noticed.”

  I pushed further, the questions now sounding absurd. “How did you open the apartment door?”

  “I had a key made when I thought we were going to be staying together.”

  I stared at him, my mouth open. Then as I gained my composure, I whispered, “Without my knowledge? Without even asking me?”

  He shrugged and at least had the grace to look ashamed of his actions. “Sorry. I just thought we were close enough in our relationship for me to do that. I would have never used it tonight, uninvited, except I heard you scream out. Anyway, I meant to say something. I was going to give the key to Scott, he has keys to all our properties.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s safer that way.”

  “Why did you need him tonight? Did you anticipate trouble?” I asked, suddenly becoming nervous. What did he know that I didn’t?

  “He drove my car over, so that he could pick me up.”

  “Why wouldn’t you drive yourself?” I countered.

  He sighed deeply, running both hands through his hair in agitation. “I had a surprise for you, Kelly. After our car shopping debacle, I went ahead and ordered you a car. It’s parked in the garage next door. Scott was helping me drop it off to you. I was hoping that you would accept it, and stop this nonsense and come back to the hotel with me.”

  I fought back angry tears.

  “Well, you can take it back.” My pride was wounded beyond words. “I don’t need it. Dana brought my car back to me and that’s how I had my gun,” I retorted “I’ve told you before, Covington, I’m not my mother. The poor little girl from across the tracks has her own, broken-down car to depend on. The great sex…well, it’s all on me. We’re even,” I ground out between my teeth.

  Liam winced, and then steeled a smirk which didn’t reach his eyes, shooting daggers at me with his baby-blues as he tossed the keys to my present in the air and then caught them.

  “Hmmm. Well, guess I’ll just keep this one, too. You can be a r
eal bitch when you want to, you know that, Hellcat?”

  To my relief, he strode out of the apartment just before I fell completely apart.

  Nineteen

  After a twelve-hour brooding session and no sleep, I was more resigned than ever to stick to my guns regarding Liam. When I’d finally calmed down, I’d gazed up at the ceiling in the loft for hours, thinking about my conversation with him and all the accusations. I’d also been thinking about the runner. Maybe it was Liam. Maybe he was having Scott follow me. And what about Scott’s limp? I suddenly felt sick. Scott had been limping after the incident, favoring his right foot. I’d shot the stalker in the right toe of his boot. Had Scott been wearing boots? My brain suddenly hurt, trying to remember. Liam’s shadowing me, the apartment key, and the car all seemed a bit stalker-ish. The thought fueled my anger, and anger was good. Anger helped the hurt.

  I wheeled into my freshly painted parking spot. The bright white paint on my square and the freshly painted “627” in red stuck out like a flashing red sign. I shuddered as I got out of the car. With a bit of daylight outside, the parking garage was still shrouded in darkness. I silently wondered if the graffiti artist and the intruder were the same person. And who was the runner in black?

  I was really getting paranoid. The staccato click of my heels sounded eerily like a lonely timepiece, and as I paused to listen, I could have sworn I could hear a faint echo. Even with the newly-installed security cameras in every corner, I decided I would have to find something to fill my exercise time in the mornings to make up for my insomnia, because being the first to work every morning was more than my paranoid nerves could handle. With the attack from the night before still fresh on my mind, I hurried into the building and up to our floor, flipping main lights on as I went.

  As the hair stood on the back of my neck, I hurriedly checked my purse. I’d left my gun under the front seat of my car. I shook my head to clear it and took a deep breath to steady my nerves; I was really shaken up and not thinking straight. I was clearly within my rights to carry my gun on the premises, and it would do me no good in my car. I made a mental note to retrieve it at lunch and stow it in my purse.

  I’d been there about an hour with all of my e-mailing and note checking behind me when the first employees began arriving for the day. My morning was spent making final adjustments on the boards for the pitch on the Austin Nightlife campaign, and I worked straight through lunch. The afternoon found me deeply absorbed in working on my monthly budget reports for Stuart, when I was almost shaken from my chair by a loud boom, much like a jet breaking the sound barrier. It shook the entire building. Moments later, alarms in the building sounded.

  “What the hell is that?” Calvin Justin called out his office door. I jumped up and looked out the window…thick black smoke was billowing outside.

  “It’s the fire alarm,” someone shouted.

  People up and down our hallway poked their heads out of their offices, checking to see what was going on. I met Stuart just outside my office, barking orders over his shoulder at his assistant.

  “Get on the intercom, and instruct everyone to exit the building,”

  As the intercom popped to life, everyone poured out into the hallways. I grabbed my laptop and purse to follow Calvin down the stairwell.

  “Kelly, what’s going on?” Tana yelled from one flight up the staircase.

  “I don’t know. There’s black smoke outside coming from somewhere,” I yelled back at her. When we reached the ground floor, firemen could be seen through the door leading to the parking garage, blocking off access that way. We all filtered out into the lobby and then through the entrance to the sidewalk.

  Once outside, it was apparent the smoke was pouring from the parking garage.

  “Do you think the whole garage is on fire?” Tana asked. “I just paid for my car!”

  “I doubt it. Someone probably had a wreck, or someone’s car caught on fire,” one of the VP’s surmised.

  “Could the fire break through to the offices?” one of Tana’s co-workers worried, her arms wrapped around herself.

  “Surely the fire department will have it under control before then,” another VP answered. Most people had their cell phones out, e-mailing or talking on social media. For forty minutes or so everyone stood around, waiting for the smoke to clear and for someone to give us the okay to re-enter our building.

  “Where’s Kelly! Have you seen Kelly?” Liam’s voice called out in the crowd frantically.

  “She’s over here,” Tana called to him. I turned to find his face ashen as he hurried down the sidewalk, weaving in and out of our co-workers.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked him as he grabbed my forearms.

  “What’s wrong? Damn it, Kel! They said a car exploded in the parking garage.”

  “Um, yeah…hence the reason we’re all out here on the sidewalk,” I replied as he shook his head. He was shaking.

  I searched his eyes for a clue as to why he was so upset. It was strange, considering we’d argued at the apartment last night, his cool exit fresh on my mind. His eyes appeared wet, like he had been crying.

  “Kelly, it was your car.”

  My stomach fell. “What?”

  Everyone grew silent around us. Liam grabbed me, pulling me into his arms. As I tightened my grip around his waist, he placed his lips in my hair. “I was so afraid you were in it,” he whispered.

  After the night I’d spent wondering about his motives, I tensed at his embrace.

  “Kelly’s car? Why would anyone target Kelly’s car?” Tana asked, incredulous. “Do you think it was the same person who broke in last night?”

  Liam pulled me back and looked into my eyes. “I don’t know. All I know is, Kel, your car and about three others are a total loss. It took out everything from the pylon where you were parked back to the far wall. They’re laying foam down now to wash that level down so everyone else can get their cars out.”

  “Could I have everyone’s attention?” Stuart spoke into a bullhorn, addressing the crowd. “Everyone may leave for the day. The fire department requests we empty the garage beginning with the ground floor. In ten minutes or so, levels two and three may exit, and then in twenty, the remaining four. If everyone who was parked on six would please come to the lobby, we will talk with you about your vehicles.”

  I looked back at Liam.

  “Hey, are you all right?” he asked as he touched my chin with his thumb. “You look really pale, Kel.”

  “I’ll admit I’m a little shaken up. Someone has tried to kill me twice in the last twenty-four hours. And my car! Now what am I going to do?” I choked back tears. Tana hugged me knowingly.

  “It’s going to be okay, Kelly-cat. You know you can still ride with me to work,” she said, knowing what was worrying me.

  “That’s why we have insurance,” one of the VP’s commented as he passed by, patting me on the shoulder.

  I shook my head. “Yeah, and some of us can afford liability only,” I murmured. Liam watched me warily. I knew he was thinking about the car I refused to take from him. He shook his head, concern and sympathy etched on his face. As my heart clenched, I turned away. He smelled so good, and his arms around me had begun to feel so warm and safe. I had such ambivalent feelings, but I didn’t want the moment to end. It would be so easy to beg him back, but I just couldn’t do that to him. And now, with doubts clouding my judgment, it seemed I had a big red “x” on my forehead. Someone wanted me dead, and blew up three cars and a parking garage trying to take me out.

  I walked slowly to the lobby doors. I felt heavy as if I just wanted to sink to the ground. When I reached for the handle, hands gripped my shoulders.

  “Kelly, wait. You know your car was totaled. They’ll tow it. Come with me,” he whispered in my ear. “I’ll see that you get home.”

  I turned to find his eyes intently focused on mine.

  “Liam, don’t,” I began.

  “No. Not here…come on,” he commanded, taking my
arm. He guided me down the street a block and around a corner to where his SUV was parked. Unlocking the door with the remote, he helped me in and then slid in the other side.

  He pulled away from the curb and swung out into the four o’clock Austin traffic. When he turned away from downtown heading south I found my voice.

  “Where are we going?”

  “We need to talk. I’m taking you to dinner,” he replied as he switched lanes, taking the exit to I35.

  “No, Liam. We’ve said everything there is to say,” I argued. “Nothing’s changed.”

  “Like hell it hasn’t,” he said adamantly, shooting a sideways glance. “Someone is trying to kill you.”

  My entire body shivered, the words chilling me. Hearing it out loud made it real. After a few moments, he reached over and clasped my hand in his. I drew my breath in. All I could think of was how much I wanted to draw closer to his side and let him wrap his arms around me.

  Clouds began to thicken in the sky, warning of an impending storm. As he pulled into a restaurant parking lot the bottom fell out, pouring buckets of rain. The downpour was so heavy it was as if a curtain had been drawn across the vehicle, shutting the outside world out. He put it in park and then turned the ignition off. There was no sound but the pelting rain.

  “Kelly, come here.” Liam called huskily. I turned my head slowly to look at him, and when our eyes met he grabbed me, pulling me into his lap. Lowering his lips to mine, he kissed me roughly, but passionately. Without a thought, I twisted my hands in his hair, returning his kiss as if my life depended on my response. And it did. My life was nothing without him.

  “God, how I’ve missed you,” he murmured against my lips. I nodded as he slid his hands up my top, his thumbs against the bottom rib of my ribcage, his fingers splayed across the lower muscles of my back. Breathless and needy, I jerked his shirt free of his trousers and then slid my fingers down inside the waistband, relishing the softness of his skin.

  “You smell so good, Kel--it’s like coming home. I can still smell you on my sheets. It’s torture, being able to smell you and not touch you,” he whispered in my ear, sending little shivers down my back. He pulled me further onto his lap, my right leg sliding down between him and the door. Grasping my left thigh, he pulled me against him, grinding his hips into me. Before I was conscious of it, my skirt was pulled high around my waist, his hands on my bare thighs. I self-consciously checked out the windows. The rain still ran in sheets down the windows, enclosing us in our own little water world.