by K. D. Jones
“Phoenix Raine, this is Keni Creswell and Olivia Paxton.” Gladys introduced them then smiled gently at the two women as she exited the room.
“It’s nice to meet you both, why don’t we sit over here?” He indicated the sitting area.
The two women took seats on the couch while he sat in the armchair. Keni Creswell was average height, about five foot three. She had blonde hair that hung down her back in a ponytail with large blue eyes. Olivia Paxton stood a few inches taller than her friend and had brown hair that fell to her shoulders. Her eyes were a light brown and seemed to mirror her friend’s in worry. Beside him on a small table was a pad and pen for notes, but he usually didn’t need them as he remember everything that was said.
“Why don’t we start with why you are here today?” he prompted.
Keni sat forward and handed him a picture of a very beautiful woman. She had long brown hair with blonde highlights, curvy figure, and the most captivating green eyes he had ever seen. He was intrigued with her and didn’t even know who she was. He snapped out of his perusal of the unknown woman when Olivia spoke.
“That is our friend, Jasmine. Jasmine Dupree. She went missing two weeks ago and the police aren’t really doing anything to find her,” Olivia explained. “Mr. Raine, we know something very bad has happened to her. She wouldn’t just disappear without telling one of us where she was going.”
“Does she have any family? Have you contacted them?” he asked.
“No, she has no family. She was a foster child. We are her family,” Keni said. “She was with us at the Luxor letting off some steam. She went out to get some air and never came back.”
“We called the police and they searched but they concluded pretty quickly that she had left with a guy. Mr. Raine, she wouldn’t do that, it’s not her,” Olivia had filled in.
Phoenix nodded, he himself had been to the Luxor on many occasion. It was one of the most popular nightclubs in San Diego. “The police didn’t have any leads for the most part,” he concluded and they nodded their heads. “Okay. What about her apartment? Does she have roommates?”
“She lives by herself in Santee in a small apartment. We have a key,” Keni said, pulling out said key and handing it to Phoenix.
“Does she have a boyfriend? Ex with a grudge?” Phoenix asked.
Olivia answered this time. “No, none of the above. No one that would want to hurt her. She is a good person,” she said vehemently.
Phoenix smiled and held up his hands. “Ladies, I am just trying to get a feel for her. I am going to have to pry into her life, know everything about her down to what type underwear she likes if Champion takes the case.”
Keni put her hand over Olivia’s as if to calm her. “We’re sorry, Mr. Raine. It’s just that we have answered these questions over and over for the police. We are just anxious for someone to understand that Jasmine would not just take off. Someone has her or something terrible has happened and we are desperate for her to be found.”
Phoenix nodded. “I completely understand that it’s difficult for you both. You are both obviously good friends and worried about her. I am going to call a contact of mine in the force and get a copy of the investigation.”
“Does this mean you will take the case?” Keni asked.
“Wait…we, um, also need to talk about payment,” Olivia said unsure, looking over at Keni.
Phoenix knew they were worried about his fees. He had investigated them before they came in and found they made decent, if not, meager salaries and it would be difficult for them to pay his fees. Looking at the picture of Jasmine Dupree again, he made a decision.
“Ladies, we here at Champion are able to have some leeway with some cases. Why don’t I see what I can find out and then we can discuss this then. For now, let’s wait,” Phoenix said smoothly.
Olivia narrowed her eyes, but Keni answered for them both. “Thank you so much, Mr. Raine. Please, find her.”
The two women exchanged a look that said Olivia would be holding her comments for now as the need to find Jasmine overrode all else. He smiled and shook their hands again as he pressed a button on the side table. It signaled Gladys to come in and escort guests back out to the lobby. Once she had done that, she informed him that his last meeting of the day had called to cancel due to an emergency. He took that time to call his contact and get everything faxed over.
As he was packing up when Gabe sauntered in dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with cowboy boots. Phoenix grinned at him.
“Eager, are we?” Phoenix teased his brother.
“No more than you are,” Gabe replied, casually leaning against the wall just inside the office.
“Looks like we caught a case,” Phoenix informed him as he handed Gabe the picture of Jasmine Dupree. He filled him in on what information her friends provided as they headed for the ranch. He watched the look on his brother’s face as he kept looking back at Jasmine’s picture, he knew Gabe was thinking the same thing. Was she the one?
Excerpt from Erin’s Awakening
The Blessed Five Series Book Two
By Sasha Parker
“It is not safe for you to go,” Myles stated as he stood there trying to look intimidating.
She glanced over at them as she continued to pack. They were impressive in looks. They were brothers but couldn’t have looked more different except for their eyes, both had warm, chocolate brown eyes. Myles was six foot two or three, long blonde hair that he always had tied back. Aedan was almost as tall as Myles standing at six feet tall, where Myles had had shaggy, blonde hair that fell to his shoulders, Aedan had short, blonde hair. Both of the men had muscular bodies, fit for inspiring the naughtiest fantasies. Aedan had the largest biceps Erin had ever seen. Her panties hadn’t been dry since she met them.
“Erin, we are trying to keep all of you safe. With Reilly and Lachlan off in New York, it falls to us. It’s not a good time for you to go.” Aedan was the one that seemed to try to be sensible.
She knew somewhere in the back of her mind they were right but when the veterinarian from the Dublin Zoo had called, she couldn’t say no. He had heard she was in country on sabbatical. When the epidemic had broken out among the seals, he had been relieved to be able to call her and she had agreed to come.
She sighed and turned to stand in front of them. “I understand, but I have been getting better with my power and am sure I can take care of myself.” Erin’s power was water and she had been practicing with her grandmother. She felt confident that she really could protect herself. Well, at least until someone showed up to help.
“We know you have been practicing and you have been doing great. Can you wait a day or so until we can get some more Guardians here? Then we could go with you.” Aedan tried again to be sensible.
“I tell you what, I don’t leave until tomorrow. If no Guardians have shown by then, I go and you can just follow me up there as soon as some do, okay?” she reasoned.
“No,” Myles said giving her a ‘you will obey me’ look.
“Myles, we have to let her do this,” Aedan said calmly. “Okay, Erin, if that is your compromise, then we accept.”
“Good. Now go on, I need to finish packing.” She shooed them out of her room.
She leaned back against the door and closed her eyes. How much longer could she avoid this attraction to them? According to her body, not much longer, she thought with a chuckle. She had been thrown off kilter ever since they had arrived. That day had been one she would never forget.
One morning after the sisters had been blessed with their powers, they were all down in the dining room having breakfast before Reilly and Lachlan would take them to the clearing for their workout. The doorbell sounded and Erin volunteered to answer it. When she had opened the door, two of the most gorgeous men she had ever seen stood in front of her. Her jaw had dropped at the sheer size of them filling the doorway. Her mark began to heat on her chest. Each of the sisters had been gifted with a mark over their hearts when they had received
their powers. It was four circles connected by a fifth, it looked like a flower, it was actually simple but beautiful as a representation of their blessing. She placed a hand over hers as she continued to stare at the men before her.
“Hello there, sweetheart,” one of the giants said as his deep voice sent shivers down her spine.
“Which of the Blessed Five might you be?” the other asked in a gravelly voice.
As she tried to find a voice to answer them, Reilly stepped into the foyer and said, “Erin, what’s wrong? Who is it?” Reilly was always on alert, especially since they had been honest with him and Lachlan about the incidents of attacks against each of the sisters.
Her head snapped back to the men in the doorway as one of them said, “Ah, Erin.” He had said it softly and with a little growl that had Erin’s panties dampening from the sound.
“Don’t fret, Reilly, help is here,” said the other one with a wink sent to Erin.
“Aedan? Myles?” Reilly said as he stepped up beside Erin to shake their hands. “It’s good to see you both. Come in.” He stepped back to allow the men entry and quirked a brow at Erin as she seemed glued in place. Then she shook her head and snapped out of her admiration of the two giants in the doorway to stick her tongue out at Reilly.
Reilly cleared his throat and said, “Erin Kirkpatrick, I would like you to meet Aedan and Myles O’Connor. They are the newest Guardians to grace us finally with their presence. Aedan and Myles, this is Erin, one of the Blessed Five.”
They all shook hands and Erin’s eyes widened as her mark began to heat. She could still see Reilly looking back and forth between all three, then he broke out in a big smile. He leaned over to Erin and whispered, “I’m telling Ari,” he taunted as she pushed him back through the doorway to the dining room.
She shook her head, he was becoming like a brother she wanted to throttle. She glanced over at the two newest Guardians. There seemed to be an instant attraction between the three of them when she had opened the door. She didn’t need this now, she had to get hold of her powers and decide what she was going to do about her profession’s future. She turned and headed up to her room to get ready for their workout. Men were not in the cards right now, she kept repeating to herself as she went. Now if she could only believe it.
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