Run to You
Page 5
“I keep a tight asshole.”
“Yeah, well remember you have to keep driving round the block without raising any suspicions and wait for the signal. The only parking is too far away for you to respond in time and don’t get involved in some road rage incident.” Shaun could see Tony wasn’t going to take much more and turned his attention to Fred.
“Keep in regular contact with your informant. If those telephone engineers change their schedule, we’re fucked. They have to finish putting those new lines in by Thursday; otherwise your cover will be blown.”
“No problem, he assures me they have already been booked on another job Friday,” Fred replied.
“Right, we meet back here, same time, the day before we go. No contact in between times. You want to get an urgent message to me, dial that number I gave you but it’s got to be a fucking crisis, understand. You carry on as normal.”
They nodded, Fred included, while the doubts mounted. He was clever, he’ll give him that, but Fred couldn’t help thinking someone else was pulling the strings. Tony and Mickey did what they were told. They were spending their days working in a meat packing plant and living in a low-rent, rat-infested walk-up. They had been warned by Shaun to keep away from the bars and hookers and keep their jobs. Shaun had used the threat that no one was to get suspicious and put the word out about them. If any of the New York crime families caught a sniff that something this big was going down, they would demand a cut. It worked; Mickey and Tony’s greed convinced them Shaun was right. Fred, however, felt this was no one man’s execution. Someone else had to be involved. The worry being what was in it for them, seeing Shaun had already agreed to a four-way split.
Shaun left the warehouse first and drove back to his apartment. Fred was the only one he had to be careful of. The guy was no patsy—he knew something else was going on, otherwise why risk so much in doing a daylight robbery. If it wasn’t for the fact the guy was desperate, he would have run a mile from this and Shaun knew it. He could tell by the way Fred watched him and questioned minor details that the other two apes had no idea about.
Once in his apartment, Shaun headed straight for the shower, stripping off his jeans and T-shirt as he walked through to his bedroom. It was time to make sure Fred was the only one he had to worry about. He was about to find out if Elizabeth Saunders was going to play with him or against him. Either way she was going to be a lot more fun and a lot easier to deal with.
Once out the shower he splashed on Boss for men, left in the bathroom cabinet from the previous tenant. He chose to wear a white T-shirt and black Levi’s and went commando. No point in having additional clothing to deal with. Next came a quick once-over of the apartment to make sure there was nothing incriminating lying around, not that there would be. He prided himself on being able to move from place to place like a phantom, leaving no trace he had ever been there. Black satin sheets on the bed, wine in the fridge, soft lighting and as for background music, he would let her decide, otherwise the seduction scene would be too obvious.
He flipped open his cell phone and dialed her number.
Another lonesome weekend had gone by and she hadn’t had so much as a phone call from the smooth-talking Irishman. The one call she had received following her visit to the police precinct—his need for reassurance she hadn’t mentioned his involvement. She had however done a lot of thinking about that evening. Shaun had another side to him that had frightened her, but he had saved her from having her throat slit. Simon would have tried offering money and if that failed, would have tried begging before turning and fleeing. Maybe she should be feeling relieved she had a lucky escape from that insincere charm and that darker side she knew existed. Instead she felt peeved because at least his pursuit would take her mind off a certain blue-eyed cop.
Grabbing the remote control, she switched channels once again and sat back watching a nature program. Her cell phone lit up. Liz snatched it up from the coffee table on the first ring.
“I’ve been a bit busy of late but now I’m all yours to do with me as you please, and if you ask who’s calling, I’ll be a wee bit hurt, so I will.”
It was the only explanation he was offering her in that embellished Irish tone. Now she could either give him the brush-off or go for it knowing this was a low-risk venture with both wanting to keep it casual. She screwed her face up at the scene transpiring on the screen.
“I’m watching the carnal behavior of the praying mantis. She is at this moment biting her lover’s head off and you are where exactly?”
“I’ll be around in fifteen if you promise to leave my head intact.”
“Shaun, it’s getting late. What exactly did you have in mind?”
“For a drink, then back to my place seeing I don’t fancy a repeat performance of the other night.”
The teasing had left her voice when she replied, “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”
“Fine, we’ll skip the drink, then.” Shaun laughed. “No, seriously, Liz. I wouldn’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do, so you are perfectly safe with me. I’ll put some music on and we can simply talk, get to know each other some more, take things real slow and easy-like.”
She was beginning to worry it was more down to her lack of control than Shaun’s. Ever since Simon and she had split, she was desperate to prove she was capable of sleeping with another man without being emotionally involved. She missed sex and wanted to enjoy the pleasures without being screwed up inside. Simon had made sure it would be a long time before she trusted a man full-time in her life again.
“I take your silence as meaning yes?”
“You presume a lot. Fifteen minutes you say, well don’t be late.” Liz ended the call. No more playing it safe. It was time to live a little dangerously. She fought back the doubts with this thought.
He arrived within ten minutes, allowing only enough time for her to slip out of her jeans and into a straight denim skirt and white T-shirt. The humidity was causing her natural curls to fizz slightly, so in the end Liz twisted the copper corkscrews into one thick braid. With a quick stroke of mascara and a touch of pink lipstick applied, she hurried down to meet him.
Immediately he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
“Shall we go?” She had pulled back, her words a breathless whisper.
“Yeah, sure,” he replied. Placing his arm around her, they left the building and walked toward a soft-topped Mercedes that in this neighborhood was lucky to still be intact.
He drove over to the Mid-east district of Manhattan to the fashionable and wealthy area of Murray Hill. Liz looked out at the grand apartment buildings that had no worries concerning intruders with their 24-hour, armed security guards and closed-circuit TV.
“Shaun, I thought you were joking when you said about skipping the drink?”
“Come on, aren’t you dying to see where I live and what my music taste consists of?” He swung the car into the residents’ parking lot and switched the engine off. Turning to her, he gently placed his hand beneath her chin and tilted her face to him. “I promised not to force you into anything against your will, but please be gentle with me. I’m a simple Irish lad, not used to womanly wiles.”
Meeting those dark sensuous eyes and the smile that followed told Liz he had the charm to bed any woman he chose. They approached a door opposite his parking lot. Tapping in a code, the metal-plated elevator doors opened.
Noticing her hesitation, he placed an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t look so worried.” He gave a humorless smile. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m not living in one enormous prison, each person locked up behind security cameras, bolts, and impregnable doors. A far cry from what I left behind. The only unannounced intruders we had to worry about was the ones in uniforms representing the so-called law.”
There was a bitterness behind his words Liz felt was linked to a past that maybe she was wise not to question too deeply about. She had witnessed him act the perfect gentleman in wealthy surroundings and yet had
also seen him fight in a way that could only have come from the toughest of backgrounds. He was both charming and dangerous, a combination she was now finding intriguing.
They stepped out of the elevator, Liz watching while Shaun unlocked the door facing them, and switched on the lights. Standing aside he allowed her to walk in first. The awesome size of the room was heightened by the lack of furnishing and the polished wooden flooring. It wasn’t exactly homely—a white leather sofa, a glass rectangular coffee table, and a wet bar set in one corner. There was no television or personal items on show at all though she did spot a hi-fi system on the floor in one corner next to a stack of CDs. Her thoughts were seemingly transparent.
“Confession time—I rent this from a friend and haven’t been here long. Needs a woman’s touch, I guess.” Disappearing into what she assumed was the kitchen annex, he returned with a bottle of red wine and two glasses.
“I will leave the music choice to you. It’s quite varied so you should find something slow and seductive.” He threw her a wink, his lips forming a gentle mocking smile to show he was fooling with her.
Going over to the CDs, she realized Shaun was right—his tastes were quite extensive—her fingers finally deciding on the Irish band U2. The first track started playing when Shaun came over, handed her a glass of wine, and promptly removed the disc, replacing it with romantic classics.
“More relaxing, wouldn’t you say?”
Liz gave a reticent nod. Either he didn’t want reminding of his homeland or what was playing now suited his seduction scene more. Mozart, a glass of red wine, and now the harsh lighting turned off, replaced by the reddish glow from several wall lights. Or was he, as claimed, simply making her feel more relaxed. Somehow she suspected the two went together in his thinking.
Shaun took up a position on the sofa, lighting a cigarette and leaning back, that dark mysterious gaze once again fixed on her in a way she was beginning to find unnerving. Forced to look away, she found herself staring at the abstract paintings on the white clinical walls. An abundance of color streaked violently across the canvas.
“Liz, if you want a guided tour of the apartment, I’ll be happy to oblige. Otherwise stop standing there as if you’re in readiness to run out the door.”
She took a small sip of the wine, meeting his eyes over the rim of the glass. Her heart was pounding against her chest, her legs felt weak, and she was scared to the point of having an anxiety attack. The reason being, what if Simon had not only scarred her emotionally, but also physically. Sex with Shaun could turn out to be such a disappointment, not only to him, but to her also. She could hardly blurt out such fears and instead took another gulp of her wine.
Grounding out his cigarette, Shaun stood up and came over to her. His hand reached out and lightly stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. His brown gaze caressed her with their intimacy as he moved closer.
“Liz, you know what I love the most—it is your flame-colored hair and creamy soft skin. It reminds me of the Irish girls back home.” He reached behind her head and pulled her plait free of its confines, his fingers delving into her thick curls. He whispered another compliment kissing her earlobe and tracing a pattern down her slender neck.
Curving her neck away from him, the sensation increased as his lips rose over her chin to lay claim to her lips. She allowed him to take the glass of wine from her and place it on the glass table. Coming back to her, his mouth assaulted her senses again almost bruising her lips with a sense of urgency. With one swift action he lifted her T-shirt up over her head and threw it to one side, his own T-shirt taking the same method of removal.
He brought her hands down to the buckle of his trousers making her aware of what he expected in return. She felt his hand encase her left breast, his thumb and forefinger gently massaging the nipple through the silk of her bra. His other hand was busy hitching her skirt up, the fingers feeling into her panties. Her body ached for a man’s touch and yet deep down a small voice fought for recognition. She couldn’t do this.
She pulled his hand away and stepped back, grabbing up her T-shirt at the same time. “This is moving too fast, Shaun. I think you better take me home, please.”
He certainly looked surprised—disbelieving almost. “That ex-fiancé of yours certainly did a number on you. Unless sex was the problem?” He reached down and grabbed up his T-shirt.
Liz stared after him as he strolled over to his cigarettes and placed one in his mouth. His manner and tone was now making her nervous. “How did you know about Simon?”
“You want to go home so come on, let’s go.” He picked up his keys and headed for the door.
Her need for an answer was overshadowed by a sense of urgency to take Shaun’s offer up quickly. He was angry with her and she felt partly to blame. Crying out like some virgin that she wanted to go home made her feel she definitely had some deep emotional issues to confront.
Chapter Six
Jack couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw who appeared from the passenger side of Shaun O’Riley’s car. The thick copper plait halfway down her back and those slender legs he would recognize anywhere. Obviously things have moved up a notch or two since the bar episode. What had he expected, that she would confess Mister Gallant was already her lover when he had questioned her? He couldn’t help a tinge of disappointment. Any woman involved with this guy was asking for trouble. This might not be the first time she had gone back to his apartment seeing he wasn’t around 24/7. This surveillance was being done on his own time and unofficial, seeing he had nothing to give his captain. All he had was what had taken place in Linda’s apartment. A sick tape had been made and he still didn’t know what the reasons were behind it except that for someone who didn’t scare easily, Linda was petrified.
Twenty minutes later the two emerged from the elevator and not looking as intimate with each other as they went in. If anything, O’Riley looked very pissed off. He had jumped in the driver’s side and started the car up while Miss Saunders was still walking to the passenger side. Obviously things hadn’t gone too well. Jack slid further down in his seat so he wouldn’t be spotted and waited for the car to move out before keeping tail.
After dropping off Miss Saunders without even seeing her to the door, O’Riley sped off. There was no way he could keep up with him without being noticed so Jack headed back home. Fifteen minutes later he received a text from Linda. Two words, I’m busy. It meant O’Riley had turned up at her apartment.
Linda was a hooker with class and brains and with no pimp to take away her profits. She lived like a queen, charging a small fortune for her discreet ways, not that he would ever pay or need too. There had been a time when they’d become pretty close. He was a rookie fresh out of the police academy and she was fresh to the delights and corruption of New York City. She was a waitress in those days and doing modeling and acting whenever she got the breaks. They even kind of dated for a while, but he got transferred to another division and their lives took different directions.
Ten years later, he’s working vice and who does he come across turning tricks now, Linda. The acting breaks had become fewer and fewer so she turned her talents to another form of acting.
Johns now ranged from rich businessmen to even the regular visiting congressman. She came highly recommended and there was, of course, the added bonus of being a reliable source of information. He admired her, he guessed—she had got herself off the streets. Most girls who started out the way she did ended up as addicts or dead. Not Linda. She knew from day one what she wanted and how she was going to get it. She never had a pimp and she never touched drugs as far as he knew. Their present relationship was strictly as friends helping each other out. He had never tried or desired to sleep with her again and she had never put him in that position.
Half an hour’s wait and O’Riley left Linda’s apartment. Jack waited ten minutes and approached the building. Gaining entry to the building as an occupant stepped out, he now waited for her to answer the door.
“Jack, you got my message, then.”
“Did you learn anything new like what the hell is this guy up to?” Jack followed Linda into the kitchen where she poured herself a glass of wine.
“Want some?” She held the bottle up for Jack to see the label. “It’s a very expensive California wine and I only offer it to my friends.”
He shook his head.
“No, the bastard made it quite clear conversation wasn’t what he came here for.”
“Did he hurt you?”
She ignored his question and took a sip of her wine. “I can’t even find out what Mister Suspenders does, seeing he hasn’t been back since his movie debut. Obviously they got what they wanted.”
Jack moved forward and lightly touched Linda’s shoulder. The flinch and lowering of her gaze caused him to gently peel back the silk gown from her shoulder. Already discoloration was taking place on her breastbone and he also noticed a welt mark on her neck. “Did the sonofabitch do this?”
She pulled the gown back up over her shoulder. “It’s usually verbal with him. The threats are enough, but this time it was rough. Someone or something must have upset him because he was a mean sonofabitch. Didn’t say a word. We did the business, which included grabbing me round the neck when I jokingly told him to slow down. Throws a wad of bills at me and walked out.” She stopped and poured herself another glass of wine, her hands shaking slightly. “I tell you, Jack, he scares me. He can personify charm so easily and then switch to someone you know would not hesitate to harm and even kill to get what he wants.”