by Kari Lemor
After another few hands Barone looked at his cards disgustedly then again at her. “I feel I need even more stimulation right now. But you never accommodate this, darlin’. Perhaps you could run off and get either Nina or Marietta. They’re always very accommodating.”
Meg froze. Now wasn’t the time to leave. Moreno was right on the verge of discussing the location of the warehouse he was using to store his gun shipment. She gazed at the man whose smile had turned lecherous.
“I am wondering if Katie has loosened up enough to share her attributes with us. What do you say, my dear? Mr. Barone would like to see a bit more skin. Are you willing or should we find a replacement?”
No, she couldn’t do this. But then she remembered Tina’s broken arm, bruised face, and the hole in Eddie’s head. Her resolve hardened. She only needed a little more time and she’d have the important locations--and hopefully the information would be the downfall of this piece of scum. She nodded at Barone, pasting on another smile, though this one was not as big as usual.
His eyes lit up like Fourth of July fireworks as he leaned forward to touch the tie on her blouse. “May I have the pleasure, darlin’?”
She tried to swallow the lump in her throat enough to speak. “Of course,” she managed to say, but Barone didn’t seem to notice her nerves, he seemed happy her words were in the affirmative. His sausage-like fingers moved to undo the knot and soon he was pulling aside the fabric to reveal her heaving breasts. He gazed at them like he was being presented with a prize.
Moreno made no effort to hide his delight in seeing this part of her as well. “Lovely, Katie, as I suspected you would be. I don’t understand why you haven’t shared this delectable part of you more often with us. It would go a long way in releasing you from your debt.”
She gritted her teeth as the others stared. Her dinner protested, threatening to revolt and she wasn’t sure she could stop it. Moreno got up slipping her shirt off her shoulders until it fell to rest near her wrists. This was a new low for her. She hoped whatever information she could get would be worth it. Why couldn’t they get back to playing cards, talking? They must have seen better bodies on many women. She sat there pretending she was merely a model for an art class and these were students doing an assignment.
After another minute of staring, Barone got around to dealing the new hand. These men had probably seen more than their share of nude women. Meg hoped her bare breasts would only hold their attention for a short time. They’d lose interest and start talking about the location of the warehouse.
None too soon the men stopped gawking and resumed the conversation they had interrupted earlier. She continued to smile at Barone who seemed extremely pleased that he was finally getting somewhere with her. He better not think he’d be allowed to play out some of his other fantasies.
“I’ve got extra men set up at the warehouses on pier seven and pier twenty. The smaller shipment of drugs is being delivered to the pier twelve warehouse so I’ve made arrangements to have my suppliers there when it comes in.”
As she sat there listening, trying to remember the exact addresses, which they had finally mentioned, Barone threw down his cards, triumphant. He’d won this hand and Meg hadn’t even noticed.
“You are my good luck charm, darlin’ Katie,” Barone said as he jumped up, planted his hands on her shoulders, then ran them down to cup her breasts. “Or I should say these are.” He gave them a squeeze.
Oh, God, no. She couldn’t do this anymore. He pulled her in close and suggested, “We need to celebrate. How about right here while the others watch. They’ll be quite envious.”
Her dinner started to protest and rumble in her stomach so she pulled away, shaking her head. “No. Sorry. Mr. Martin wouldn’t like it.” She shrugged the top back over her shoulders and grabbed for her tray, making sure to snag the napkin underneath. With the tray in front of her, hiding the untied sides of her top she stumbled through the door to the ladies room. Inside the stall she dropped the tray and managed to write the information she’d heard onto the napkin.
Taking a deep breath, tears fell as her stomach finally emptied itself of its contents.
* * * *
Chris finished his conversation with his supervisor smiling at all the information Meg had been able to get for them today. If they could stop even one of these shipments, especially the gun shipment, they’d have enough to put Moreno and many of his goons behind bars. They owed it all to Meg.
He looked at the closed door of the bedroom and wondered exactly what had happened tonight. She’d given the napkin to Dave to slip to him, barely looking his way. But she’d been distant the past few days anyway--ever since the meeting when she’d discovered Dave was a cop. She was now reserved, her teasing gone. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. He’d only been thinking of her. She was much safer not knowing the bartender’s identity. There was less likelihood of letting anything slip when she wasn’t privy to it.
After they’d returned here tonight she’d simply transcribed the notes she’d written and supplied him with a few more facts about the warehouse security Moreno was putting in place. With his excitement about the information he hadn’t noticed how tense she’d become.
But now that he’d passed the information along to the proper channels he thought back realizing something about her demeanor had been off. Maybe she was just tired and needed this to be over. He was ready to get this guy behind bars, too, but he hated to admit he’d gotten used to having Meg nearby.
The sight of her, all tousled and sleepy, when she finally woke up as well as her fresh remarks whenever he teased her about staying in bed late got his motor revving. But even with her quick wit and sarcastic humor, she also had such a sweet side to her. Had she been like that all the time before she’d gotten into this fix years ago? The feisty attitude and playfulness she had dancing around her was something else. The impish grin she often wore made his heart beat faster and he wasn’t sure he was ready to give that up yet. Sometime soon he’d have to.
A slight cry came from the bedroom and he went to investigate. Meg thrashed around in the bed, moans coming from her throat. She cried out and he rushed to sit beside her.
“No. No, please don’t.” Her cries rang through the room. The pain and intensity of her pleas was evident. He held her shoulders and she resisted at first but when he spoke softly in her ear, she relaxed a bit.
“Meg, Meg, sweetie, it’s Chris. I’m right here. You’re fine.” He wasn’t sure what she was experiencing in her dreams but whatever it was, it scared her. He completely understood. This case was causing too many nightmares.
She sat up and her eyes popped open. It was a few seconds before she seemed to figure out where she was. He continued to speak softly, assuring her everything was fine. Her breathing slowed and she finally looked at him.
She took a deep breath then let it out slow. Her eyes couldn’t meet his--almost as if she were ashamed. Of what though? Maybe her nightmare had brought back some of the times Moreno had mistreated her physically. Hardly her fault. He wrapped his arms around her quivering shoulders hoping he could help her forget her dream. He knew how real they could seem. Last week’s had been as bad as anything he’d had after returning from Afghanistan. Meg was there for him then. He was here for her now.
“Hey, you okay?” He filled his voice with warmth and sensitivity. “It was just a bad dream. I’m right here and you’re fine.”
She shook her head trying to convince him as much as herself. “Yeah, I’m…uh fine. Just a bad dream. I’m sorry I woke you.”
“You didn’t wake me,” he assured her tilting his head at the dress slacks he still wore. “I was on the phone with Doolittle. He’s pretty stoked about the information you got tonight. This could be it, Meg, the final nail in Moreno’s coffin.”
“It better be worth it,” she spat out, her eyes doing the avoidance thing again. Anger and bitterness laced her voice and once more he wondered if something differe
nt had happened in the back room tonight. Rubbing his hand up and down her back, he stared at her agonized face.
“Meg,” he asked softly hoping she wouldn’t crawl back inside her protective shell. “What happened tonight? You seem a little off.”
She buried her face in his shoulder which worried him. She wasn’t the type to cling for comfort but she curled deeper against him. He stroked his hand through her silky hair for a few minutes then eased her back so he could see her face. Her eyes wouldn’t meet his, never a good sign.
“Tell me what happened.”
Her eyes closed tightly for a moment then opened, her jaw tense. She held her control tightly and he marveled at her strength.
“I played up to Barone a bit more than usual so they’d want me to hang out. The crew Moreno had with him were the vital players in his empire. I remembered them from the pictures Doolittle had at the meeting. Moreno asked me to stay and for a while, it was typical, me sitting on the stool doodling while they played cards and leered at me. I had gotten a good deal of information about dates, times, and inventory but they hadn’t mentioned where yet. Barone got a bit more frustrated than usual when he lost and asked me to sit closer so he could run his hand over my leg and butt. After he still had rotten luck he wanted a little more. He thought I should go and find someone else willing to provide…more…but Moreno…he seemed to sense my hesitation and asked if I was up for that tonight.”
She closed her eyes and he felt her shiver. A bad feeling crawled deep inside and he wasn’t sure he actually wanted to know what else had happened. He lifted his hand to caress the side of her face and smiled warmly at her to continue.
She took in a deep breath. “I um…I…” her lip started to quiver and he pressed a tiny kiss to her forehead. “I allowed Barone to undo my top and…”
She couldn’t get any more out so he pulled her close against him. Heat, fierce and strong swelled inside him at the thought of what had happened to her. He wanted to rip Barone’s heart out of his chest. To scream, rage, and slug someone. Break something, like Moreno’s face. He didn’t remember ever feeling anger this bone deep before. But none of that would help Meg with the demons she was fighting right now.
“It was horrible,” she choked out, tears filling her eyes. “But all I kept seeing was poor Tina lying there in the hospital all battered and bruised. And the bullet hole in Eddie’s forehead. Moreno needs to be put away for good where he won’t hurt anyone anymore.”
“Oh, Meg,” he whispered wishing she hadn’t done it. He understood why she had but he didn’t have to like it.
“Was it only looking or did they…?” His jaw clenched as his voice trailed off uncertain how to word his question. How would he react to the answers?
“They made sure they had a good view and all stared for a while. Then Barone actually won a hand of poker and got excited. He…touched me and wanted more. I’d already gotten the address so I told him no and ran from the room.”
Pulling back from him she curled into herself, covering her face with her hands. She visibly shook as she tried to stifle her sobs. His heart broke at the distress his strong damsel was in. But this was one dragon he couldn’t fight for her. All he could do was offer his warmth and comfort.
He wrapped his arms around her again and drew her head onto his chest. “I’m so sorry, Meg. I never would have asked you to do that.”
She nodded as her voice came out muffled near his neck. “I know. I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Tina and for me. I did it for all the other girls he’s brutalized and made feel ashamed and coerced into doing unthinkable things. I did it for all of us.”
Chris kissed her forehead again keeping his lips in her hair. And he held her. She never pulled away or made wise remarks, simply let herself be held. After a while she grew heavy in his arms, falling asleep again. He eased her down to the pillow and her arms pulled at his neck.
“No, don’t go, please, Chris.” Her eyes begged him along with her words.
“The nightmare was that bad, huh?”
She gave a tiny nod and he asked, “Are you sure?”
Another nod and she moved a few feet over in the bed. “There’s plenty of room.”
“Okay, let me change out of these slacks.”
He quickly put on sleep pants and a t-shirt and shut off the lights in the large suite. After a minute in the bathroom he slipped under the sheets she held up for him. He didn’t need to ask if she was sure again. Her grateful expression told him she was.
“Want to tell me about the dream? You made me tell you.” She snuggled up next to him under the thick comforter. He snuck his arm under her shoulder and smiled when she placed her head on his chest. Her hand rested right next to her cheek. The warm feeling that stole over him was unfamiliar but he didn’t mind it at all.
“It had Moreno in it and he had my whole family there,” she squeaked out quietly. “You were there too. He was threatening to kill all of you if I didn’t take my clothes off and…well, you know. And dough boy was there and he was waiting on the card table for me to come do him. When I didn’t move fast enough, Moreno took out a gun and started shooting all of you.”
He tightened his hold on her, caressing her back and shoulder. “That won’t happen so you don’t need to worry. Your family is perfectly safe. He has no idea who you really are. And you know I’m fine. I can take care of myself. I’m the last person you should be worrying about.”
“I do worry about you, though,” she sobbed. Was the nightmare fading and reality surfacing? “I know I like to act like I don’t need anyone else to help me with anything. But I hate to admit it’s been great having you around here to get me through this. And out of this. If something happened to you, I’d be right back where I started, and Moreno would be a hundred times worse to deal with.”
“Yeah, but I’ve got the easy job,” he confessed knowing it had taken a lot for her to admit she needed him. “I’ve been sitting by the pool and hanging out at the club every night. You’re the one who actually has to do all the dirty work. If this information you got for us pans out, all of this will be over with very soon.”
“All of it over,” Her soft voice repeated and she sounded almost disappointed. Her hand moved on his chest and she snuggled in closer. Her voice was drowsy as she finished, “Not all.”
Pulling the comforter around her shoulder, he inhaled the lavender scent of her shampoo. He didn’t want everything to be over either. Part of it, yes. His temper flared at what Barone and Moreno had done to her, and not just tonight. How had his emotions gotten this volatile? He’d been in situations where he’d seen far worse, but for some reason Meg managed to drag the feelings from an even deeper place inside him. He could easily kill Moreno and Barone for the pain and heartache they’d caused Meg. When had his feelings for her grown this strong and fierce? They had crept up on him and he didn’t know what to do about it.
For now he wouldn’t do anything. She was still his informant and even though he was actually lying in bed next to her, he had to remain professional. This was merely comfort. The case wasn’t over--but it would be soon if everything went according to plan. Moreno would be in jail and Meg’s participation in this assignment would end.
Her soft skin rubbed against his and he inhaled her intoxicating scent. Ending their closeness was something he didn’t want either. And what they were doing now, he could get used to it.
Chapter 18
The warmth of the sun drifted through the slider and settled on Meg’s face, waking her. She’d obviously forgotten to close the thick drapes before jumping in bed last night. She shifted her position to grab the covers so she could block out the light and discovered she was resting on top of an arm that was curled around her. The hand attached to that arm was pressed intimately against her bare stomach where her top had ridden up.
Another arm surrounded her as well and this hand lay on her breast. It was still but as she woke further she became acutely a
ware of its positioning. Memories returned of what she’d done yesterday to get the information to put Moreno away, and everything else that had led to Chris holding her for comfort.
She leaned back into the circle of his arms and he tightened them around her. Her heart soared at the subconscious gesture and wished she could stay like this forever. She could lie here with his arms around her, protecting her, and she’d never have to go back to working for or being afraid of Moreno. But if she stayed in this bed she wouldn’t see her family again.
She missed them desperately and wanted to go back home but wondered what she’d find. Would they welcome her like the prodigal son with open arms and a fatted calf? Or be pissed she’d left to begin with, without letting them know what had happened to her that they’d want nothing to do with her? Or maybe they’d allow her to come home but the close relationship she’d had with them would be strained and awkward and she wouldn’t feel as if she was truly wanted.
They could be disgusted at what she’d been doing all this time. If she tried to minimize the danger of Moreno, would they think she was merely lounging on the beach all day, avoiding responsibility? Were they happier with her gone? One less mouth to feed or buy presents for. Were they mad at her? Did they miss her at all?
Moisture filled her eyes and she blinked to clear it away. Get your mind on other things. Dwelling on the past wasn’t going to do her any good. She still had to go to work every day until they could put Moreno behind bars. Soon, she hoped. Was the information she’d gotten yesterday the key to his demise?
Once they arrested Moreno she’d be free to leave this place and do whatever she wanted to. It also meant she wouldn’t be living with Chris anymore. She knew this day might eventually come and she never thought it would be a problem. But now, lying here with his arms around her, she realized that he meant something to her. He’d edged his way inside her heart and captured it. Did he even know it was his? Did he want it?
She closed her eyes reveling in the feeling of his firm chest pressed against her back. She’d been self-conscious when they’d first begun their pretend relationship and needed to be familiar with each other in public, but she’d soon started to enjoy his touch and kisses. He seemed to enjoy it too.