Dangerous Kiss

by Michelle Love

  She just couldn’t imagine living with him, even as a roommate, reminding her of David every waking moment. But she was glad their friendship remained and now, late in the evening, he was helping her as she cleared the diner.

  “You look tired.” Jared said, helping Zea to put the chairs up on the tables. She had closed the diner late tonight and sent Teresa home straight away.

  “Long day.” She smiled at him. Chairs on tables, she went to take the cash out of the till. “Thanks for helping. I appreciate it.”

  “Anytime.” He sat at the counter watching her. “It’s late. Shall I drive you home?”

  She shook her head. “Thank you, no. I’m fine.”

  “Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?”

  She thought for a second and nodded. “I’d like that, thank you.” She put the takings into the night safe. “That will do for tonight, I think.” She yawned. “Sorry.”

  Jared grinned. “You sure you’re safe to drive?

  She laughed and nodded. Outside the diner, she locked the door. They walked out to her car.

  “Thanks, Jared. Thanks for being a friend.”

  He bent down and kissed her cheek, paused for a second, and pressed his lips against her forehead. “Goodnight, Zea.”

  Flynt stared at the tall man kissing Zea. There was something hinky about this son-of-a-bitch, he just knew it. Zea drove off and Jared looked over to where Flynt was standing. He saw Flynt watching him and gave him a sarcastic salute. Flynt sneered and got into his car, pulling out into the road. In his rearview mirror, he could see Jared watching him as he drove away and Flynt grinned. He knew exactly where he was going.

  For a moment, when Zea opened the door to him, he thought she would slam it again, shut him out. Instead, after a moment’s hesitation, she stood aside to let him in.

  “Hey, girl,” he said softly.

  “Thought you were done with me,” she said, but her voice wasn’t reproachful or antagonistic. That’s what he liked about her; no games, no manipulation.

  He touched her face. “Tried to be. Longevity isn’t my style. Commitment’s not my style. But there’s something about you, Zea; you fascinate me.”

  She half smiled. “Flynt, I’m not looking for a boyfriend. All I ask is for respect. Don’t treat me like a whore. That’s all.”

  Flynt smiled. “You got it.”

  Flynt cupped her face in his big hand and she leaned into the warmth of it, closing her eyes, letting out a shaky breath. She could feel the heat of his body close to hers, the comfort of his presence.

  When his lips met hers, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Zea felt his fingers twist in her hair, heard his breath quicken. Her hands were against his chest. He picked her up, sat her on the counter, his kiss becoming deeper, fevered. His hands slid under her top, cupped her breasts, stroked her stomach. She opened her eyes and he was gazing at her, his eyes dark with desire. He bent his head to kiss her neck, her throat, and she leaned into him, sighing. He was trouble, no doubt, but such good trouble.

  Because underneath the bad boy swagger, the seeming indifference, she could sense the grown-up in him, the sensitive man. If Flynt chose not to show that side of his character—well, that was up to him. He owed her nothing.

  He was carrying her into her bedroom now, and it didn’t occur to her until after he’d given her the last of three shattering orgasms. She looked at him, breathing hard, and frowned.

  “How did you know?”

  Flynt, still recovering from his own climax, looked confused. “What?”

  “How did you know where my bedroom was?”

  He hesitated, still processing the accusatory tone in her voice. “I guessed.”

  Zea stared at him for a long moment then sat up, pushing herself off the bed and grabbing her robe. “Oh, my God.”

  Flynt swung his legs over the side of the bed. “What’s wrong?”

  Zea tugged her robe tightly around her. “It was you.”

  “What was me?”

  “You broke into my apartment and attacked me.”

  Flynt’s handsome face flushed red. “What the hell are you talking about? I did no such thing … Did someone attack you? Why didn’t you tell me? When did this happen?”

  She told him, but then moved away from him as he reached for her. “Please go.”

  Flynt looked angry and indignant as he yanked his pants on. “You know what, Zea? Believe what you want. It’s easier to believe I’m some kind of asshole … but you don’t know me. I would never hurt you.”

  “But you would break into this apartment?” Zea was beginning to feel foolish, ashamed, but she couldn’t stop herself, covering her own embarrassment by throwing accusations at this man.

  Flynt just shook his head, and for a moment, she thought he was going to break down. He breathed heavily. Then he raised his head, and she could see the defeat in his eyes.

  “Go right ahead, think what you want. Of course, I didn’t break in, but I’m the easy pick, right? Couldn’t possibly be a random break-in, or maybe even that creep of a brother-in-law, could it?”

  He tugged his T-shirt on. “Well, this time, I am really done, Zea. Thanks for reminding me why I don’t get involved with the women I fuck.”

  He moved past her before stopping at her front door. He looked back at her for a second. “The reason I knew where your bedroom, Zea, is that I own this building. This whole block. I just don’t go around talking about it. See you around.”

  And he was gone. Shit. What the hell had just happened? Why had she gone off at him like that? Clearly, the attack had affected her more than she’d thought. Zea sighed and went to get a glass of water. Her body was still zinging from making love, but her mind was tired. Exhausted. She drained a couple of glasses of water then went to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror above the sink, she took in the drawn face, the shadows under her eyes, the pain in them.

  You’re cracking up, she told herself. She knew that she needed to move on; therapy and time alone. She needed Jared to leave her alone for a while. She needed to get closure on what David had done.

  She needed not to be afraid of getting involved with anyone again.

  Clem sat in the apartment of her ex-husband’s lover, staring at the women who had replaced her. The woman who had saved the life of her daughter once, and was now offering to give up her life once more for Bree. Clem would never admit it, but she could see why Luca had fallen for Emory so quickly. The younger woman was achingly beautiful, her features soft and warm. Clem couldn’t help comparing herself to her. While Clem was all high cheekbones and patrician breeding, Emory was all full rosy cheeks and dusky skin, her dark eyes huge in her lovely face.

  And now she might die. Clem couldn’t fathom it, the horror of the decision in front of Emory, but if it had been Clem in her position, she too would have offered up her life. Emory seemed really calm; it was Luca who was falling apart.

  “Look, there’s no way we’re going there alone,” he was saying now. “If not the police, then my own security team can fan out and…”

  “He’ll know,” Emory said softly. “Look, Luca, I promise you—I won’t give up. Once Bree is clear, I’ll fight. I won’t die as easily as Ray thinks I will.”

  “He could kill you both. He has nothing to lose.” Clem’s voice was flat, dead, and Emory came over to her and took her hand.

  “No. I know Ray—he doesn’t want to have to kill her. He just wants me. We’ll get her back, I promise.”

  Clem nodded then pulled away from her, going over to the window. Her mind was a whirl of fear for her daughter, admiration, and sadness for Emory and Luca—and she couldn’t forget the look of hurt in Maximo’s eyes when she’d said goodbye to him.

  Don’t be stupid, don’t get maudlin over a one-night stand. But that was just it … if this hadn’t happened, she didn’t think it would have been a one- night stand. Maximo was like no one she’d ever met before. Open, guiltless, and so damn sexy she could bare
ly cope. When he’d first launched himself into her—God, that feeling of his cock sinking hard and deep inside her. He was a masterful lover, sensual and commanding and she had opened up to him in a way she had never done, even with Luca.

  Why does everything have to go to hell? She leaned her head against the cool glass of the window and looked down at the street below. Bree’s face swam before her eyes; she and her daughter had a fractious yet loving relationship. Maybe she wasn’t friends with Bree the way her daughter was ‘friends’ with her more easygoing father, but that was okay. Clem and Luca had raised Bree to be a fine young woman, and Clem had played her role as the disciplinarian happily. Clementine had herself been raised for cotillions and society and the fact that Bree, so tomboyish and geeky, had turned out the way she did had delighted her. Clem had hated that world, even though, as her mother and grandmother had often told her, she was made for it. Even the way she looked, with her finely angled face and elegant manner, made her a perfect fit.

  She turned now and rejoined Emory and Luca. Luca was talking on his cellphone, presumably to his security team, and Emory sat quietly beside him, her hand in his.

  “Thank you for saving my daughter again, Emory,” Clem said quietly. ’I wish it didn’t have to be like this.”

  Emory smiled a tired smile at her. “We haven’t got her back yet, Clem. Let’s just hope.”

  Yes, let’s hope, Clem thought bitterly, although that bitterness wasn’t directed at Emory. Let’s hope Bree comes home safe and you, you dear girl, don’t get brutally murdered by your bastard of an ex-husband. Jesus. This world is fucked up.

  “Can I ask,” Clem said, “how on earth were you ever married to someone like him?”

  Emory smiled again. “Ever been at such a low ebb that anything seemed like a good idea at the time?”

  Maximo flashed into Clem’s mind, but she pushed the thought away and just nodded.

  “Well, that was me a few years back. I’ve never known my father, but my mother was with me until she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Lymph nodes, bones, liver, everywhere. It took her in less than three months. As you can imagine, the shock was … debilitating. I was at college then; Ray was my professor. Very old story. It took me a good five years before I found out what he was really like.”

  “He hit you?”

  “Amongst other things. I think the word for someone like Ray is a sadist. He loves watching pain, inflicting it. However he chooses to kill me, it won’t be quick, and it won’t be merciful.”

  “Holy Christ, how can you even think like that?”

  Emory looked drained, exhausted. “Because I lived with it, Clementine. Every day he would describe a new way to kill me if I ever left him. Usually, while he was raping me. If I’m honest … I always knew he would. I just wanted some happiness before I died.” She looked over at Luca, who was off his phone and had his head in his hands, listening to her. She put her hand on his thigh and smiled at Clem. “And I have. I’m sorry that we didn’t tell you, Clem, before the pictures came out, that you found out about us like that. I’m not sorry I fell in love with Luca.”

  Clem didn’t know how to react to that, except she felt shame. Shame for being hurt when Luca divorced her, shame for being angry at him for moving on so quickly. He had been right; she and Luca had not been in love, not for a long time, and never had Luca looked at her like he was looking at Emory now. And as for herself, last night with Maximo had been a revelation.

  She closed her eyes and allowed herself the fantasy that Bree would come home safe, Emory would escape her psychotic ex-husband and that she, Clem, could apologize to the sexy, sensual man she couldn’t stop thinking about, that he might forgive her and take her in his arms.

  “What time is it?”

  Emory’s voice shook Clem out of her reverie. “Eleven p.m.”

  An hour. An hour to go before the rendezvous. Before her little girl was returned to her. An hour before the time when Emory might die. God.

  Clem looked at them both, and when she spoke, her voice was strong. “I want my daughter back,” she said, “but as much as that, I want us all to be together at the end of this night.” She looked at Emory. “All of us. We’ll get through this, so help me God, we will. I’ll give you some time alone.”

  She went to the guest bedroom, heard the couple go quietly into the other room and close the door. She went into the little en-suite bathroom, two doors away from the other bedroom so she couldn’t hear them, and took out her phone.

  Maximo’s voicemail kicked in. Her heart pounding, she began to speak and didn’t stop until, at last, she started to cry.

  Portland

  Jared held out the bottle.

  Zea took the gifts warily. “Thank you.” She’d been asleep on the couch when she heard Jared’s car pull up. For a second she thought about ignoring his knock, but the guilt kicked in and she’d reluctantly opened it. Jared had smiled at her, and as she studied him, his expression had been blank, innocent.

  “May I come in?”

  She hesitated for a second and he put a hand on her arm. “Zea, I got lonely, and I know it’s late.” She stepped aside to let him in. She followed him into the kitchen and opened the bottle, Jared sat, his smile almost a rictus. Zea felt her stomach twist with irritation. She poured him a flute of the champagne he bought, a half glass for herself. He raised his glass.

  “To family.”

  She touched her glass to his and tried to smile. A strange silence fell. Zea looked down at her hands, twisting the glass around and around on table. Jared put his hand on hers.

  “You don’t seem okay, Zea. Is there something wrong?”

  Yes, everything. “No, I’m okay, just tired. I always seem to be tired lately.”

  “It’s the strain of it all. David, the shooting.”

  “I guess it is.”

  Another long silence. Jared sighed. “Look, it’s real warm in here. How about we go drink our beer on the stoop outside?”

  “Of course, it was him,” Jared said a half hour later, as they sat on the steps outside her apartment. They kept their voices down so they wouldn’t wake her neighbors. “Didn’t you say the door hadn’t been broken into, that it had been unlocked? Who else could it have been?”

  Zea went cold thinking about it. What Jared was saying was making sense, but Flynt had seemed almost too offended when she’d accused him of being the intruder. Now Jared had a point.

  Zea sighed. “You know what, Jared? I’m tired of talking about that. About him.”

  Jared smiled, his expression almost tender. “Couldn’t agree more.” He looked away for a second, then leaned in and kissed her cheek. “How about I go grab us another couple of beers?”

  Zea smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”

  Flynt drove until he was almost at her house and then killed the lights. He sat in the car for a moment, arguing with himself. Just leave it, man, she’s bad luck.

  But something kept drawing him back to Zea, and now, he wanted to clear the air. The muscles in Flynt's jaw clenched. He walked slowly around the side of the building but stopped when he heard voices. Laughter. He stole a glance around the corner. Zea and Podesta were sitting on the porch steps; Zea had her back to Flynt, but Podesta’s expression was easy to read. Lust. Desire. Flynt swallowed down the anger in him but couldn't tear his eyes away.

  Then Podesta seemed to look straight at him. Flynt's stomach lurched as he watched the big man kiss Zea's cheek, tenderly, possessively. Flynt wanted to beat the shit out of him right there, but instead watched Zea say something to Jared and smile. The blood roaring in his ears, he watched as Jared went into the house, leaving Zea alone on the porch. Flynt watched her for a few seconds before sliding around the corner and into her eyeline.

  Emory sat next to Luca in the cab as they pulled into the shipping yard at five of midnight. She couldn’t stop trembling but she drew in a long breath.

  “Luca, I want you to know that, if everything doesn’t go to plan … I hav
e been happier in the last few weeks than I ever have before. Ever. I love you so much.”

  He took her face in his hands and pressed his lips roughly to hers. They had made love a little earlier, both knowing it could be the last time. “I can’t bear this,” he whispered.

  “I know.” Her cheeks were damp with tears.

  “I love you, Emory. You are my world.”

  She nodded and sighed. “It’s time.”

  Outside, he reluctantly let her go, not taking his eyes from her as she walked, as per Ray’s instructions, into the dark maze of containers. Luca felt his heart smash into pieces. How could he send her to her death like this? What the hell was wrong with him?

  In another cab parked behind the first, Clem saw her ex-husband drop his head into his hands as his love walked toward her certain death. Clem got out of the car and went to him and they clasped hands.

  After a few moments, they saw a figure, a tall figure, stumbling out of the mess of containers. Clem cried out as she saw Bree staggering towards them and then they were running, speeding over to their daughter. To their relief, she didn’t seem injured, but she was crying, sobbing uncontrollably. They couldn’t make out what she was saying, but then they heard the cars screeching into the parking lot.

  From them poured many armed men who surged like a wave into the mass of containers. Luca, Clem, and Bree all looked at each other in confusion, until, out of the last car to arrive, stepped a tall man. Dark hair, dark beard, swarthy skin. Clem’s heart leaped.

  Maximo.

  Portland

  She started as she saw him and his heart dropped when he saw the distress in her expression.

  “You shouldn't be here.” But she made no move to get up, instead shoving her hands into her lap, pulling her knees up to her chin again.

  He walked forward a little more, then stopped. They stared at each other for a long moment. Flynt raised his chin and nodded towards the house.