by C. D. Hussey
Chapter Thirteen
"I have something you want."
The memory of Lohr's breathy voice haunted Darus' thoughts from the moment he heard them in Angel's studio until the moment he approached his house. He hadn't recognized the number when his cell phone rang, but the instant Lohr said he had something Darus wanted, he knew exactly whose number it was.
His stomach immediately tried to crawl into his shoes. And then, the got closer to his house, it tried to crawl from the depths of his bowels to the base of his throat, taking out his lungs and heart in the process.
He'd started out with a brisk walk but quickly realized that turtle pace wasn't going to cut it and broke into a dead run. By the time he yanked open the gate leading to his courtyard, sweat had soaked through his shirt and dripped from his chin.
The visual greeting him when he rounded the corner turned his overheated skin to ice. Lounging on the outdoor sofa, Lohr had Clare wrapped tightly in one arm, a gun gripped casually in his hand.
She looked scared and pissed at the same time. Her blue eyes wide, her body rigid, her mouth pressed into a thin, angry line—it turned Darus' stomach, so recently trying to escape, into a quivering ball of nausea.
He should have brought the cop with him, but Lohr had been explicit. "Come alone, or Satin gets a playmate."
"How nice of you to join us," Lohr said.
"Let her go. You don't want her, you want me."
"I don't know." Lohr ran the long, thin fingers of his free hand down the side of Clare's neck. She flinched and jerked against his grasp. "Maybe I want you both."
Darus stepped forward, ready to ambush Lohr, tackle him, something...anything to get Clare away from Lohr's lanky paws.
He suddenly understood Armand's need to kick his ass last year when he'd fucked with Julia at The Cell. If that big, tattooed bastard had felt an ounce what Darus felt now, he definitely deserved every minute of his ass whooping.
The gun held loosely in Lohr's hand jerked up, the barrel pointing threateningly at Clare's smooth, pale neck. Darus stopped short in his tracks.
"That's better."
"Just tell me what you want."
"I originally just wanted to blow your brains out, but after this delicious little morsel unexpectedly showed up I changed my mind. I want what you took from me."
"What are you talking about?" But suddenly Darus knew. Someone hit the panic button in his brain. "Please. Fuck, just take me. I won't fight. I'll do whatever you want."
"I know you will." The tip of the gun didn't budge. "And I'll still kill you. But I want more now. I want my Queen. Since you took her from me, I think I'll have yours." He leaned in and ran his nose up the side of Clare's neck, presumably sniffing her. Darus felt his hands curl into fists and the muscles in his shoulders bunch into knots. "She may not be my statuesque beauty but at least she smells good."
His face became so hot it felt like it would combust any minute. He'd never felt such fury. The heat in his body, the tension in every muscle, the undeniable need to act—all foreign sensations.
Knowing adrenaline and his need to protect Clare would give him the strength and speed he needed, he lunged for Lohr, reaching the man in a single bound. Just as he twisted the gun from Lohr's grasp and before the man could react, a shot sounded behind him. Blood exploded from Lohr's forehead and Clare screamed.
Darus didn't hesitate or bother looking to see who had fired the gun. Shoving Lohr's limp body aside, he grabbed Clare's arm and pulled her to him. Her entire body trembled as she buried her face in his chest.
It wasn't until she was safely in his embrace that he turned to see who'd shot Lohr. Gun already holstered, phone pressed to his ear, stood Kevin McCoy, casually giving instructions to what sounded like a police dispatcher. Darus tossed a head nod his direction. He reciprocated the gesture before moving to Lohr's limp body and taking his pulse.
Sirens sounded in the distance, quickly getting louder. "Hey," Darus said, bending his head to speak quietly in Clare's ear. "Want to go inside?" He was anxious to get her away from this scene, knowing watching the EMTs haul off Lohr's corpse and cops crawling all over the place was probably the last thing she needed.
Fuck. Lohr. Dead. It was crazy.
Without lifting her head, she nodded into his chest. He kept his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders as he unlocked the back door and led her inside.
"Do you want something to drink?" he asked as he eased her into a dining room chair.
"Only if it has alcohol in it."
"That can be arranged."
"Good. Make mine a double."
He went to the liquor cabinet and returned with double shots of rum in two glass tumblers. She glanced at him in thanks when he handed her a glass. Her eyes stopped on his shirt and then widened.
"Oh my God!" He looked down at his shirt and saw the blood—Lohr's blood. Splattered on her face when Kevin's bullet pierced his brain and then subsequently rubbed on his shirt. Before he could stop her, she touched her face and then pulled her hand back and stared at her red-tipped fingers. "Oh my God!"
"Here." He tossed his glass on the table, brown liquid splashing onto the black wood, ran to the sink, dampened a rag, and ran back to her, yanking out the chair closest to her and sliding into it. Taking her hand, he wiped the blood from her fingertips. "Let's just get rid of this."
She stared at him in horror. "It's all over my face isn't it?"
With tender hands, he wiped her skin clean. "Not anymore." He smiled. "In fact..." Peeling off his shirt, he tossed it and the rag into the living room. "There. Gone."
She gave a half-hearted laugh and picked up her glass. "Now I see your plan. You just wanted an excuse to get naked with me again."
He met her glass with his. "You got me."
They both took a healthy drink and returned the empty glasses to the table at the same time.
"God," Clare said, her face twisted in a grimace. "I needed that."
"You're telling me." He wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his thumb, and then paused. "I'm so sorry for what happened. I had no idea—"
"How could you have known?" she interrupted.
"He was waiting for me. If you hadn't come by…"
"It wasn't like you knew either of those things were going to happen."
"No, but if it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have touched you. If I hadn't—"
"What?" she interrupted again. "If you hadn't what? Interfered with his plot to kidnap Kate? What were you supposed to do, just look the other way?"
At one time, that's exactly what he would have done.
Fuck, was that shame he felt? What the hell was wrong with him?
Clare was shaking her head. "That would have been worse," she said. "I'm fine. Look. Not a scratch."
He took her hands and then her gaze. "Are you? Truly…?"
"I'm just a little shaken. I'll be okay. He didn't hurt me. Freaked me the fuck out, but I'm otherwise unscathed." She glanced toward the French doors leading to the patio. "The cops are here."
He didn't turn. "Don't worry about them. I'm sure McCoy's got it covered."
"Won't they want to ask me questions?"
"Not if you aren't ready to answer them."
She looked at him. "Don't you want to ask me one?"
He tried to smile, but ended up just making a face. He couldn't ask the question if the answer might not be what he wanted to hear.
"Well, I'll answer anyway. I came here because—"
"No wait. Before you say anything, please, let me start by apologizing. I had no right to get jealous, or have any expectations, or…well, any of it." He paused, bowing his head while he tried to put his thoughts into a cohesive order. "Look. I want to be with you. I really do, but I will wait. And whatever you need…I understand. I do. And when you're ready…"
Wearing a smile, she put a hand on his arm. He couldn't interpret the gesture. Was she mocking or was that understanding?
"Easy cowboy," she said.
"Let me talk now. I—"
The French doors flung open and a flushed Julia stood in the doorway. "Oh!" She rushed over to Clare, giving Darus a sidelong glance as she stooped next to her sister. He held his hands up in surrender, rising from his chair and stepping back. "Kevin called me," Julia said, taking Clare's hands. "I can't believe that monster had you. Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. Really. Just shaken. Darus—"
"God, we need to get you out of here." Julia rose. "Let's go." She tugged on Clare's arm, but she didn't budge.
"I'm fine where I am."
Julia's face contorted in confusion. "But Lohr…"
"Darus tried to trade places with me," Clare glanced at him, and her expression was nothing less than adoring. The gesture made him step back in surprise. "If Detective McCoy hadn't come along, I'm sure he would have taken more than a punch for me."
"Definitely."
Julia glared at him.
He needed to fix this. Once and for all. And more importantly, he needed to accept his part in her hatred.
"Julia, look, I'm sorry…"
"Aren't you going to put a shirt on?"
"Why? You like what you—" He stopped. Replying with a smart-ass remark wasn't going to help anything. "No, I'm not," he finished instead. "I am going to apologize. Last year, I made it my mission to fuck with you, to freak you out. It was wrong and I'm sorry."
She narrowed her eyes. "You're just saying that to try and get on my good side. To get with my sister."
"No. Yes. Maybe. Regardless, I mean it. I am sorry. I'm a prick, I realize that, but I am trying to be less of a prick."
"I kinda like your prick…"
"Clare!"
She grinned. "I mean his attitude, of course. Characters remember?"
Julia rubbed her forehead. "It's going to happen isn't it? There's nothing I can do?"
Clare put a hand on her shoulder. This time, Darus knew for sure the gesture was mocking. "No," she said.
"Julia, you might as well start calling me brother now." He couldn't help himself. He didn't even try. "Bro will work too. I'm not picky."
She lifted her head to glare at him. He just grinned. "You don't like me," he said. "But you'd be surprised to find I'm kinda fond of you."
She rolled her eyes. "Great."
"No, really." He was tempted to put his arm around her shoulder but knew that would be pushing the limits, to say the least. "I—"
The door opened again. Armand stepped through it this time.
"It's like a goddamned family reunion," Darus muttered. "Don't you people knock?" he said louder.
"Not when family's involved." Armand paused by Julia. Clare was now surrounded by the enemy. "Are you all right?"
"I will be…"
The door opened yet again and Kevin McCoy filled the rapidly shrinking floor space. Darus sat wearily in an empty chair. This was obviously going to take a while. It could be hours before he was alone with Clare again. He needed to hear what she had to say. Was he forgiven or not?
"I made a statement with the patrolling officer," McCoy said. "So don't worry, I won't need either of your statements until later." He glanced at Clare and Darus in turn. "Quick thinking out there," he said to Darus. "I realize you didn't know I was behind you, but you gave me a clear shot."
"What quick thinking?" He heard Julia ask. He peered around Armand's bulky frame at her. She frowned when she met his gaze.
"Lohr had me at gun-point," Clare told her. "Darus knocked his hand away and then the detective here," she jutted her chin toward McCoy, "shot him. It was all wonderfully gruesome. I'm just thankful Darus wiped the blood off my face before you got here."
"Oh my God!"
Darus grinned. Whatever shock Clare had been in after being held by Lohr was being squashed by her wicked sense of humor. If he had an ounce of denial regarding his feelings for her, it was gone.
He felt a hand on his knee and glanced at Clare, pushing his eyebrows together in question. She bit her lip and smiled.
Armand cleared his throat. "Well, I'm glad you aren't injured." He turned to Julia. "We should probably get out of here."
"What?" The shock on Julia's face quickly turned to defeat. "Oh." She wrapped her arms around Clare. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Nothing a little Xanax won't fix."
"Are you coming home?"
"Maybe." She looked at Darus and he couldn't help grinning. "I'll text you."
After a few more hugs and some tear wiping, Julia and Armand left. Darus wasn't 100% sure, but he thought he saw a nod of approval from the pretentious prick as he passed. As cold as hell was getting, it wouldn't surprise him if he woke up to snow tomorrow.
"Well, I'd better be going too," McCoy said. "I've got to break some bad news to Angel. It's not going to be pleasant."
"I don't think she was much of a Lohr fan."
"Not Lohr." He ran a hand through his hair but didn't elaborate. "Unfortunately, the crime scene tape will need to stay up for a while. You can stay here, but you won't be able to use the courtyard until we take it down. It shouldn't be long." McCoy started for the back. "Oh, and why don't you both come down to the station tomorrow and I'll take your statements. Ms. Brown, you can file that restraining order while you're there."
When they were finally alone, the room suddenly felt unnaturally quiet. The click of the second hand on his wall clock was a deafening, "tick, tick". Suddenly uncomfortable in his chair, Darus rose. "You need another drink? I think I need another drink."
He reached for her glass and she placed a hand on his arm, effectively stopping him. "Am I making you nervous?" Her voice was filled with jest. Keeping her hand firmly on his arm, she rose and inched her body close to his, her bright blue eyes focused on his.
"Of course not." But he had this strange, squirmy feeling in his stomach. Butterflies? Was that what people described at butterflies?
"I think you are." She finally released his arm, but where it went sent the fucking insects swarming in his gut into a panic. She slid the palms of both hands up his bare stomach and stopped at his chest, making a little "mmm" noise as she did. Her gaze lingered on his flesh for a moment and then, without raising her head, she looked up at him. His cock immediately jumped to attention.
"That's cute." She kissed one pec. "I never got to tell you why I came here." She kissed the other pec.
He cleared his throat. "I think I'm beginning to figure it out."
"Actually I came to stomp your balls for pulling that jealous bullshit. But you redeemed yourself." She kissed the middle of his chest. "I can't promise anything," she said. "But I had an amazing time with you the other night." She kissed one collarbone. "And I love how I feel when I'm with you." She kissed the other one. "So, if you can be patient…." She slid her arms around his neck and kissed his throat.
"For you, I'd wait forever—well, a really long time." He grinned. "At least a week."
"That might be all it takes." She stood on her tiptoes, her chin tipped toward him. He bent to meet her halfway, wrapping his lips softly around hers.
"So are you really going to stay?" he murmured into them.
"I want to…"
"But?"
She pulled back and glanced around him toward the courtyard. He turned to follow her gaze. The yellow crime scene tape fluttered gently on an unseen breeze.
"You're right. Let's get out of here." Grabbing her hand, he pulled her toward the front door.
"Where are we going?"
"Some seedy hotel where the cockroaches are as big as cats."
"Ooh, so we'll have an audience. Sweet. I was hoping for another round of public sex." She looked him up and down. "You might want to put on a shirt first."
He glanced at his bare chest. "I thought it was a little cold." Releasing her, he jogged into the bedroom and grabbed a clean shirt from the closet and slipped it on. He had half of the buttons fastened when he emerged from the room.
The sight of her waiting for him made him pause, mid-butto
n. Standing in the doorway, he took a moment to absorb her, his weird state of elation, the electricity radiating through his body, the feeling of peace. She was so beautiful and he knew he was incredibly lucky just to be in her presence, and even luckier she chose to be in his. He would do anything to not fuck it up. Even if that meant meditating every day, or twisting himself into some sort of yoga pretzel with Angel, volunteering in the soup kitchen, or scooping up dog shit in the local park.
"What?" she asked with a smile.
He shook his head. When he joined her, he bent and kissed her. "I'm just thankful for you."
"Mmm, that's good to hear. Now," she slid her hand down the front of his pants, stroking the length of his cock in the process, "when are we going to get out of here so I can be thankful for this?"
He yanked open the door. "Right fucking now."
She followed him into the cool night air. "Darus," she said, stopping at the sidewalk edge. He turned to look at her. "I'm thankful for you, too."
Epilogue
"I can't believe you talked me into this."
"It's just Thanksgiving dinner..."
"With your family! Who happen to despise me—if you've forgotten."
Clare released the door handle and went to him. "Well, Kate and Slade will be there. As well as Angel and Kevin. I'm sure the good detective will protect you."
"Pshaw. He'll have his hands full watching Angel's back. Making sure Julia doesn't attack her with the carving knife."
She laughed. "They're getting along a lot better. As long as there's four feet of separation between Armand and Angel at all times."
"Like a middle-school dance."
"Exactly." She slid her arms around his waist. "You do know you were invited."
He returned her embrace. "In that case, there's no way I'm going in." She raised her eyebrows in question. "Poison."
A laugh burst from her lips. "I think you're safe."
"Hmm." The expression was uttered with all the contempt in the world, but he had a huge, lopsided grin on his exotically handsome face. "And no unexpected visits from Chris…?"