The Debt Collector

by Chris Taylor

  Like fireworks on the Fourth of July, heat and passion exploded. They kissed blindly, madly, frantically, their lips and tongues tangling like flamenco dancers. Hannah’s fingers buried themselves in his thick hair and she held his head in place. She kissed him on his lips, his nose, his cheeks, his chin, and all the while her heart was racing.

  He pulled her close against him, until her breasts were crushed against his chest. She reveled in the hard planes of his muscles, the warmth of his skin. His breath came fast, almost as fast as hers, and sounded harsh in the stillness. At last, Jacob eased himself away. He stared down at her.

  “I want to make love to you, Hannah.” His voice was low and guttural and sent a wave of excitement surging through her veins.

  She stared back at him and slowly nodded. This was how it was supposed to be. Making love with someone she deeply cared about. After Luke’s death, she’d been angry and bitter at his sudden departure from her life. She’d railed internally about the unfairness of it. As a teen, she’d kept herself pure as a sign of her devotion and love and now the intended recipient of that gift was dead. After his death she realized her purity had become useless, a thing to be laughed at and pitied. She was furious at how highly she’d prized it.

  Within months of his passing, she was frequenting bars on the seedier side of town. It hadn’t taken her long to divest herself of her virginity. It had happened in the back of someone’s truck. She couldn’t even remember his name.

  The whole episode had been so awful, she refused to think about it. She thought she’d be relieved to no longer be a virgin, but the night it happened, and for many nights after, she cried herself to sleep. She vowed never to treat herself with such disrespect again. The next man she slept with would deserve her.

  Jacob’s eyes darkened with emotion. “Are you sure? I remember you mentioning once before you believed in saving yourself for marriage.”

  She nodded again. “Yes, and I still believe in that, but after Luke died… I made some stupid decisions. I regret them now, but back then, my judgment was too clouded by my pain. Let’s just say, I’m not a virgin now and leave it at that.”

  “I don’t care about any of that, Hannah. I love you for who you are. It pains me to hear you say you did things you might not have otherwise done if Luke had still been alive, but I’m in no position to judge you and I don’t want to. To me, you have always been beautiful, inside and out. That will never change.”

  Something that felt very much like love swelled up from inside her heart. Tears sprung to her eyes and she hurriedly blinked them back. His words filled her with happiness and she knew the joy of truly being loved. She couldn’t help but wonder if Luke’s feelings for her had only been a sham.

  How could he have loved her like he’d said and yet sleep with other girls? How could he talk about her like Toby said, and still love her?

  It would take a long time for her to reconcile her memories with the likelihood he probably didn’t love her at all. His premature death had brought their relationship to a sudden halt, but maybe it wouldn’t have lasted, regardless? The fact was, she’d never know.

  With loving hands, she framed Jacob’s face and pressed her lips against his in a soft and tender kiss. He was a wonderful man with a beautiful soul and she couldn’t believe he loved her. On some level, she felt unworthy, but she vowed to strive harder to become a better person, to set aside her anger and hurt and love him as he deserved.

  Taking her hand, Jacob led her down the hall and into his darkened bedroom. He switched on a lamp that stood on the nightstand and bathed the room in a soft glow and then moved to close the door.

  “What about Toby?” she murmured.

  “He’ll be fine. The front door’s unlocked. He’ll come in when he’s ready. I’ll talk to him in the morning. I think the fact that we’ve managed to work things out will go a long way to helping him through his pain. It was killing him knowing how I felt about you and how you felt about me. He felt responsible for the fact the woman I loved, despised me.”

  “I’m not sure I des—”

  Jacob pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her protest. “Shh,” he murmured. “No more talk. Tonight’s all about feeling.”

  And with that, he took her in his arms once again and kissed her. This time, his lips moved leisurely over her mouth and then trailed down her neck. He nibbled at the soft skin of her earlobes, while his hand cupped one of her breasts. He squeezed the soft flesh and stroked her nipple and she gasped at the surge of desire that arced its way down to her core.

  “Do you like that?” he growled, his voice husky with need.

  “Yes.”

  He reached down and undid the buttons on her blouse, slowly inching the fabric open. His fingers were gentle and cool on her heated skin.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, his eyes taking her in.

  Standing exposed to his gaze, she went to cover herself, but he stopped her.

  “Please, don’t be shy. Let me look at you.”

  The tenderness in his voice did her in. She stood still while he ran the back of his hand over the soft curve of her breast and down over her flat belly, then he pushed the blouse off her shoulders and eased her bra straps down. Slowly, he reached around behind her and undid the clasp. The white lace released its hold on her and without removing his gaze, Jacob tossed it away.

  His hands returned to her naked breasts and he cupped one in each hand. A look of wonder crossed his face.

  “You don’t know how many times I’ve dreamed of doing this,” he whispered huskily. “How many times I yearned to be the one to love you.”

  He bent his head and pressed a kiss against the soft skin of her chest. Gently, she eased him away and then reached up to his shirt.

  “My turn,” she murmured and set about releasing the buttons. He’d discarded his tie before dinner and within moments, his shirt was on the floor. He stood before her, bronzed and smooth. His pectorals were beautifully defined, glowing golden in the soft light. There was only a hint of dark chest hair.

  She ran her hand over the warmth of his chest, loving the feel of his taut muscles. Her fingers skimmed over his nipples and he captured her hand and pressed it against his heart.

  In silence, his hands came around her and released the button on her skirt. The slide of her zipper quickly followed and a moment later, the garment pooled at her feet. She was wearing matching underwear and a sensible pair of black stockings. He stared at her in wonder and once again, she fought against the urge to cover herself.

  She’d never before stood naked in front of a man and it was a little unsettling. She wasn’t embarrassed about her body. She was just…embarrassed. And shy.

  With gentle fingers, Jacob tilted her chin upwards until she was looking at him.

  “Don’t be embarrassed,” he murmured, as if reading her mind.

  She blushed. “I’m not,” she replied, hoping he believed her.

  He chuckled and gave her a knowing smile, but said nothing. Instead, he undid the button and zipper on his suit pants and stepped out of them. His underwear and socks quickly followed. Before she could draw breath, he stood, tall and proud and naked before her.

  Somehow, it made things easier. She stared at him, ogling the firm musculature, the long thighs, the broad chest, the erection that stood to attention. He reached out and drew her close, until she was pressed up against all that naked, hard flesh and she shivered with delight and need.

  Her arms came up around his neck and she drew his head down. They kissed with mindless passion, gasping for breath. Jacob walked her backwards. Her legs came up against his bed and she sat. He followed her down and gently pushed her onto her back. With their lips still fused, they kissed again and again, while their hands explored each other’s bodies.

  Jacob’s fingers tweaked her nipples and then stole lower, across her abdomen, and down to her nest of curls. His fingers stroked the soft flesh of her womanhood and she tensed.

&nbs
p; “It’s all right, honey. I won’t hurt you. I promise. I just want to love you. Please, let me love you.”

  His gentle words of reassurance worked their magic and gradually, she relaxed. His fingers delved deeper into her slick warmth. And then one finger…two, were inside her, stroking in and out. She moaned and moved beneath him. A sweet pressure began to build.

  Gaining confidence, she pulled his head back down to hers and kissed him with all the love and desire that filled her heart. His erection pressed against her belly, hard and huge. He pulled away from her and reached across the bed. Opening the nightstand drawer, he removed a condom and sheathed himself.

  Kissing her again, he moved lower down her body, his lips trailing fire across her breasts, over her abdomen and lower, until he buried his face against her curls. When he breathed in deeply of her scent, it was the most erotic thing she’d ever experienced. Moving again, he nudged open her thighs with his knee and positioned himself between her legs.

  “I want to love you for hours, honey, but I’m not gonna last much longer. I need to be inside you. I need to feel your warmth.”

  The husky words sent another surge of desire rushing through her and centered deep in her core. Heat flooded her.

  Holding onto her hips, Jacob eased his cock inside her. Inch by inch, he filled her and stretched her wide. She gasped in wonder at the magic feel of it.

  Slowly, he began to move and she tightened her hold on his shoulders. The delicious feeling of anticipation began to build. Over and over, he thrust inside her until she was tense and expectant, clinging to the edge. Her fingernails dug into his skin. Her breath came in desperate pants.

  “That’s it, Hannah. Go with it. Relax and let yourself come.”

  His gentle words sent her over the edge and she cried out as she climaxed. Her muscles clenched in beautiful rhythm and he stilled, as if to savor the magical sensation. A moment later, she collapsed on the mattress.

  “Good?” Jacob asked, giving her a tender smile.

  “Amazing,” she whispered. And it was true.

  Though she was no longer a virgin, it was the very first time she’d made love. She now knew why they called it that. The act was so different when it was experienced between two people who cared.

  Jacob began to move again, this time at a more frantic pace. His face was a study in concentration. She clung to him and silently urged him on, loving the feeling of him inside her. A moment later, he tensed and groaned and thrust one more time before falling still.

  After a while, he lifted his head and looked at her. She smiled shyly. “Good?”

  His face filled with tenderness and love. “Better than good. Amazing.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Dear Diary,

  I had such plans for my nephew. I took out a policy on his life for the sum of one million dollars. It was to be my final paycheck, a clearing of his debt. An overdose of heroin, or even crystal meth—whatever his drug of choice at the time—it hardly mattered to me.

  But now, he’s gone and ruined it all. He’s brought the police to our door. I’ve had to change my plans. He can no longer be my windfall, the sweetest pot of gold, but I can still make use of him; there’s still a way I can collect on my debt.

  I’ve been thinking it over for the past few weeks and it’s a good and decent plan. Young Bobby will rue the day he treated me with so much disdain. He’s going to be my scapegoat. That will more than repay his debt. The police will be none the wiser, until it’s far too late.

  But now time is of the essence. I need to act fast. Toby will have to die sooner than I expected. The police will have Bobby in custody sooner rather than later and when that happens, my plans will be stopped in their tracks. I can’t risk doing away with another employee while the prime suspect is warming his ass in jail. It just won’t do.

  No, my final act of brilliance must be set in motion tonight…

  * * *

  Toby continued walking blindly, his thoughts in turmoil. He scuffed at the uneven pavement with the toe of his brand new boots. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d worn new shoes. It must have been back when he was a kid. He certainly hadn’t had the money or the inclination to buy new shoes over the last ten years.

  He thought of the shock on Jake’s face when he’d come across him in the emergency room. His fingers were twice the size they should have been and were throbbing with pain. He’d done his best to defend himself. His attacker had eventually taken off, but not before inflicting considerable damage.

  Toby hadn’t realized his brother was a doctor. He hadn’t seen or heard from his family since he’d left his hometown just months into his brother’s incarceration. The knowledge that Jake was in prison because of him had eaten away at him until he couldn’t stand to live an easy life anymore. He’d had to escape the ever-present reminders that his brother was doing time when it should have been him.

  He’d kept the pain of their deception bottled up for so many years. He realized the only way he’d be able to deal with it was to remove himself from society as he’d known it. A week after Jake pleaded guilty, he’d walked out of the modest apartment his mom had helped him find and he hadn’t looked back. He hoped she’d received her security bond back after he’d breached the lease. Not that it mattered now.

  Jake had told him their mother died two years before. It saddened him to know that he wasn’t there during her final days and that he’d never get to see her again. But even two years ago, he wasn’t ready to return to his family. Life on the streets had been hard, but it was no less than he deserved. He was sure Jake had endured worse in jail.

  It was only the chance meeting with Max, shortly after he’d reunited with his brother that Toby felt the stirrings of a yearning he’d long ignored. He wanted to reach out to his family again, he wanted to be the Toby Black they’d grown up with and loved. His two older brothers had made something of their lives and even Rusty was well on his way to being a success.

  Toby wanted his family to be proud of him. He wanted to be worthy of their respect and love. When Max came along and offered him a job, he was ready to accept it. Having Hannah Langdon work at the same place had come as a lovely surprise. It brought back, of course, the sad memories of that time, but she’d always been kind to him and right now, he needed a friend.

  It was different, accepting her offer to move in with her than it had been when Jake and Lane had extended the same invitation. Hannah was a friend and could help him through the transition to when he’d be worthy to stand shoulder to shoulder with his family again.

  He’d noticed the way Hannah had been looking at Jake and he’d always known how his brother felt about her. The truth of what had happened that fateful night had been blocking their path to finding love and he couldn’t stand by another minute without opening Hannah’s eyes.

  But now, he’d gone and spoiled it by blurting out the truth. The shock and horror on Hannah’s face would forever haunt his dreams. He didn’t know if she’d ever forgive him or Jake, for not telling her sooner. Or forgive him for what he’d done that night. There were no winners and he couldn’t bear the thought he might have made the whole sad situation worse.

  He stumbled on an uneven piece of concrete and fell down on his knees. His cotton pants tore on the rough surface as it cut into his skin. Blood seeped from a gash on his knee, but he pushed himself back to his feet. Looking up, he realized he was outside the door of the funeral home.

  Feeling around in his pocket, he found the key Hannah had given him the week before. She’d had a morning appointment and had told him to let himself in. Max didn’t usually appear downstairs until a little after nine. The embalming crew were expected to start work at eight.

  He fitted the key into the door. The knob turned under his hand and he sighed softly in relief. He’d go into the embalming room and sit there, in the peace and quiet. The solitude of the place had always appealed to him. After the night he’d had, it was the perfect place to escape with his
thoughts and pray that the morning would bring an improvement and somehow remove the strain between Hannah and his brother.

  * * *

  Max placed the final set of clothing in his suitcase and closed the lid with a sigh. There. It was done. Two suitcases stood beside his bed. Another four suitcases were downstairs by the front door. Six suitcases that represented his life—his old life, at least. There would be plenty of time and even more money to create a new life after tonight. The life he’d looked forward to for so many years. The life he deserved.

  The claim on Christopher Lowery’s policy had already been paid out. Even now, the money was sitting in an account somewhere in the Caymans, ready and waiting for him. He’d left instructions with his bank to transfer the rest of the insurance money to the same offshore account. With a bit of luck, the money from Edward Sutton would be transferred before the police made their findings public. He’d called Andrew Bloomberg at General & Life just the day before and had been assured by the claims officer that everything was in order. The only thing left to do was to bring an end to the life of Toby Black.

  It saddened him a little to cut short the young kid’s life. He was a good lad with a heart of gold and, unlike the other two, he had a supportive family who cared. At the time Max chose him as his next victim, he didn’t have a clue that the homeless man had family, but that fact didn’t really matter. He’d made sure his nephew would take the blame.

  He’d phoned Bobby only an hour earlier. His nephew had sounded drunk or high—or both—but he didn’t say anything about the police or an imminent arrest, so Max could only assume the detective still hadn’t tracked his nephew down. That was good. He needed Bobby free for just a little while longer—long enough for him to do away with Toby.