Protecting Macy (Cavanaugh Security Book 1)

by C. M. Steele

  “Yes, baby?” I asked, holding her close.

  “I missed you, too,” she confessed, pressing her face to my chest.

  “Fuck, I need to slow down, but all I want is to take you upstairs and possess every inch of you,” I growled against her ear.

  “Maybe we can go relax and watch a movie,” she purred. The blatant seduction in her voice nearly brought me to my knees.

  “After you eat.” I tapped my finger on the table in front of her plate.

  “Are you hungry?” she asked me.

  Starving, but it wasn’t for food. I wanted to lay her on the counter, spread her wide, and feast on her sweet pussy. “Yeah, I’ll make a sandwich or something.”

  “Why don’t you share the food with me? I think your mom made extra.”

  I looked over to the stove and saw a pan of sausage links and two more pancakes. “Okay, you eat, and I’ll make me some eggs,” I told her. I kissed her cheek and got to work on my food.

  I turned and asked, “How are you doing this morning?”

  “I’m okay, I guess. Need to find my purse and phone.”

  “Sorry, I forgot to take them out of my truck before I left this morning, but I brought them in. They are in the foyer.”

  “Thanks. I hoped they were still there. I haven’t spoken to my job or anything.” Just mentioning her job pissed me off.

  “You know you’re not going back to work there even if they don’t fire you, right?”

  “Really? And that’s because?”

  “Because I said so, but if it makes you feel better, I’ll rationalize my decision. One, there’s someone out there who will be looking for you if he doesn’t already know who you are. Two, you’re mine, and you don’t need to work at all if you don’t want to. Three, I thought you were going to be my sexy assistant.” Her frown turned into a grin on the last one. “And damn, I’d love to see you in a tiny skirt bending over and reaching for a file.”

  “You are ridiculous. I get the first reason, but the others aren’t convincing me to go along with your command. Since I was quitting tomorrow anyway, I had no intention of going back.” She stuck out her tongue at me. I growled and moved around the counter and dragged her body to mine.

  “You’re a brat, and I fucking love it. What am I going to do with you?”

  “From the feel of your body, I know one thing you could do.” My cock had been hard every second of the day and every minute of the night since I met her, but this wasn’t all about me.

  “Tomorrow,” I told her, stepping away and back to finish my eggs.

  “Tomorrow?”

  I slid the over-easy eggs onto my plate and set it down across from hers. “Yes, I want to make sure you want it.”

  She huffed then smiled at me. “Can you be any more wonderful?” she asked, bringing her glass of orange juice to her smirking lips.

  “You ain’t seen nothing yet,” I said, taking a bite of my breakfast.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Macy

  We just finished eating, and I washed the dishes, and then he dried them. Just as he put away the last plate, I asked, “Does your mom always cook for you?”

  “Seeing as she cooked for you and not me, then not always. She does try to take care of us. It’s so ingrained in her that she loves it. I like it sometimes. I can’t deny it’s nice to have a meal prepared for me with my crazy schedule. I’m not a mama’s boy if that’s what you think.”

  “You got me there. It’s just that I don’t know if I could live up to her standards.”

  “You don’t have to live up to be anything other than you, baby. That’s all I want. You. Just you. Now, how about you check your messages that I’m sure you’ve been anxious to check, and then we can watch a movie.”

  “Did they say anything at the station about me?” I asked.

  “They’d like to talk to you again for more questions. I told them when you’re up to it, you will. After all, the fucker is definitely out of commission.”

  “That’s true. Did they find anyone at the hospitals?” I hoped he wouldn’t be looking for me.

  “Nothing yet. Are you sure you shanked his nuts?”

  “I did. There’s no way I didn’t. He had pulled himself out of his pants.”

  Rage crossed his face. He looked ready to kill. “If I find the bastard, he’s a dead man.”

  “Remember, you’re not a cop anymore.”

  “Listen, I’ve got some stuff to look up in my office. Why don’t you come in after you’re done, and we can figure out what happens next? Then we’ll watch our movie.”

  “Okay.” He pulled me in and kissed me, then I walked away. I dreaded what lay in front of me. I saw my purse, and my phone was right on top. I picked it up, pressed the power button, and it came on. I was surprised that it had any power at all.

  Three text messages popped up from Gloria.

  Where are you, Macy?

  Girl, he’s getting pissy.

  Damn, he said you’re fired. I’m worried. Call me.

  She also left voicemails essentially saying the same thing. Damn, I knew she had a good heart and was truly worried; like she didn’t have enough of her own problems. I had to call her back first after I checked the one from Pete.

  I hit the play button. “You’re fired.”

  I called Gloria, and she picked up on the third ring. “Oh my God. I’m so glad you finally called. Wait a minute. It’s Macy on the phone. Sorry about that; my husband is getting on my nerves. So tell me what’s going on?” she asked.

  “Well, I was in an accident last night. I just got my phone back and have a little bit of battery.”

  She gasped loudly, “Oh no. I can’t believe that. Are you okay?”

  “Some aches and pains, but nothing to worry about. I’m sorry to freak you out. The police had my purse.” It was semi-true at least.

  “Well, maybe you can talk Pete into giving your job back.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m moving to Weston tomorrow,” I told her. Hearing a deep animalistic growl behind me, I saw Sean standing there with his arms crossed. I winked, and it made him smile that smile that could turn all panties from dry to soaked like a damn downpour.

  “Please tell me I’m going to see you again,” she exclaimed.

  “Of course. Maybe next week or something.”

  “Great. I can’t wait. Please let me know if you need anything.”

  “I will. Bye.” I ended the call and asked, "What's up, Sean? You came back fast." He was supposed to be working in his office.

  I watched the expression on his face become wretchedly depressed. He frowned, then said, "I just got off the phone with the undersheriff. He'd like to speak with us along with the FBI as soon as possible."

  "What? Why?" He’d just told me that he wanted them to give me time.

  He took a deep breath and said, "They believe...hell, I believe that your attack is related to all the missing women."

  "Oh, God." I lost control and began to cry. It was what I thought as well, but to have someone else say it made it all the more real. He pulled me to him, holding me close and cradling me tightly.

  "I know. I know. I won't let him get you,” he whispered, kissing the top of my head.

  I hugged him tighter one more time before gently pushing off. "I have to get myself together. My father didn't raise a coward."

  "And you don't want to call him?"

  "He died over two years ago."

  "The man on file at that residence is your stepfather?"

  "Yes."

  "Okay. Well, I know that he would already be proud of you."

  "The knife. The knife. It's in my car. It has his DNA on it."

  "The forensics team grabbed it before they towed your car. They shipped it off for testing. Hopefully, they get a match." That was good, but if he was a cop, the evidence could be destroyed.

  “Well, the sooner we get this over with, the better,” I muttered, reaching for my purse and sliding it over my shoulder.
/>
  The drive to the station was a silent and uncomfortable one. We both knew there was a chance that this guy was a cop and he could be there when I got there. I shivered at the idea. “Remember, I don’t give a fuck who he is. He won’t touch you.” He raised our intertwined fingers to his mouth, kissing my hand as if sealing his promise to me.

  We entered the station, and of course, we garnered tons of attention. One woman in a suit stared at me with contempt. It seemed not all women stuck together even when it was proven I was attacked. She probably believed that I deserved it or some shit.

  “Ignore her—she’s the panty girl,” Sean whispered in my ear, tugging my hand and pulling me closer to his side.

  “Oh, okay. That makes sense,” I grumbled, then glanced back at her with a smirk. She gasped, then sneered back at me. I doubled up the smile and squeezed Sean’s waist a little tighter.

  Bitch.

  There were two men in suits talking down the hall, and they made their way toward us. A hint of trepidation ran through me, but I remembered the undersheriff from the hospital, so I relaxed. From what Sean told me the other man would be doing the interview and I calmed down a bit more.

  He was most definitely not my attacker. He was a black man in his forties at least with a build larger than Sean’s, like he probably played football in college. He wore a grey suit with a kickass black cowboy hat, which he tipped like a gentleman when they reached us. I definitely liked him already.

  He reached out and shook my hand first then Sean’s. “Ms. Garcia, I’m special agent Derek Malone. Let me start by saying we’re sorry for what happened, but we’re glad you’re here to tell us what you can.”

  Suddenly the memories flooded my mind and filled me with anxiety. I was unable to respond, so I nodded. Then I felt Sean’s hand in mine, tightening gently just as a reminder that he was with me. I calmed instantly and said, “Okay, I’ll do anything I can.”

  “Thank you. Let us go into the room over here,” McManus stated, directing us down the hall.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sean

  We headed into one of the standard interrogation rooms. This interview would be recorded per the record, but I had a problem with that. “Fellas, who will have access to this interview tape?”

  “We turned off CCTV in here. That camera on the tripod,” he said, pointing to the corner of the room, “will be the only one, and its memory card filed away.”

  “Good. I don’t know if Macy’s attacker is a real cop or just using it as his way to stop women,” I stated, feeling her fingers cling to my hand. I leaned down and kissed her temple. “Are you okay, Macy?” I asked.

  She nodded, smiling sheepishly at us. “Yes, I’m sorry. It’s just the memories of that night are so vivid sometimes that I start feeling anxious.”

  “That’s extremely normal, Ms. Garcia. If you want to talk to a grief counselor, we can provide one.” That was a great idea. She could use the help of a professional, but I bet she would refuse it.

  “Thank you, but I think I’m just fine.” All of us men stole glances at each other. Just like I thought she would, but I slightly shook my head. We all knew it was best to avoid pushing the issue.

  “Well, then, let’s get started. First, please recap what happened for us in as much detail as you can.”

  Macy took a deep breath, collected herself, and then she started. “I was running late, so I sped off to work. I was a few miles from my home when sirens and lights behind me went off. I looked and saw a typical police SUV. I pulled over to the side of the road, hearing the gravel under my tires as I rode onto the shoulder.” She paused and swallowed hard.

  “I reached for my license just as he called for me to step out of the vehicle. I didn’t think it was normal unless they feared I was trouble, but I still complied. I assumed that it was a mistaken identity since I had a fast, red car. I feel stupid now, huh,” she scoffed off that last bit.

  “You’re not stupid. This bastard played on your civic responsibility to stop and follow the law.”

  “Sean’s right. These types of predators look for those who wouldn’t expect them. Can you please continue?”

  “Yes.” She bobbed her head slightly. “I got out, and he approached with his flashlight in my face. I couldn’t make out his features that well. I remember he was a little shorter than Sean and his uniform was blue—that really dark blue. The only reason I could tell was the flashlight reflected off of it. I stepped back toward my door, which I left open because I got a sudden eerie feeling. He leered at me in a way that told me I was in trouble. He snatched my ID from me, then told me to stay put while he went to his vehicle to check my license.”

  She paused, shaking her head with her throat full of tears. I held her hand and whispered, “I’m here, baby. He can’t get you.”

  Macy nodded, then pulled herself together. I hated that she struggled with the terrible memory. “I had it only two years, but since I didn’t have a car, it should have came back clean. He came back, stating that I had three warrants and had to come with him. I told him that I didn’t believe that and for him to show me his badge, and that’s when he backhanded me, knocking me to the ground. Then he dragged me into the woods. He started tearing at my clothes and pulled out his dick. I got a glance at his nametag in the moonlight, but I couldn’t make out his face.”

  I held back the need to rage out, hunt him down, and murder the bastard. Both men glared at me, sensing my building tension. I nodded and took a deep breath.

  Malone in a soothing voice, told her, “Take your time, Ms. Garcia. You’re doing great.”

  She didn’t hesitate to continue, “I had a moment to reach for a knife my father gave me for protection. I stabbed him in his balls and then kicked him before running to my car and speeding off, only to run from Sean. I’m still so sorry about that.”

  “Relax, Ms. Garcia. We’re glad it ended so well,” Malone stated.

  “Now that it’s been a day, can you give us a better description of the suspect?” McManus inquired adamantly.

  “Um…now that I think about it, his hair was dark and wet, so it could have been lighter. He was fair skinned and had a mark on his upper thigh. I couldn’t tell if it was just a birthmark, or it even may have been mud, but I got a brief glimpse of it. His voice came off as if he tried to disguise it to me, but I’d sworn that I heard it before.” The two officers looked at each other, then back at Macy.

  “Please take a look at these women, Ms. Garcia. Do you by chance recognize any of them?”

  “No. I mean, they all look so similar. They all look a lot like…me.” She froze, and so did I. Macy was their next victim. I couldn’t even explain the feelings coursing through me.

  “They do. These are the twelve girls that have gone missing over the past two years.”

  “Oh my God,” Macy gulped, clutching at her chest with tears streaming down her face. “He picked me out. He knew where to find me. I had just left my house. How?” Damn, she realized it. I hoped she wouldn’t make that connection. He’d more than likely had been stalking her.

  I threw my arms around her in an attempt to reassure her that I’d never let anything happen again. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry. We’re going to find him,” I promised, cradling her head to my chest.

  “Ms. Garcia, Macy, you’ve been brave. You are a hero.” She scoffed at that description of her, but she was. It took a lot to come forward with what happened. “I know this is hard to imagine, but you are.”

  “I’ve met him before,” she exclaimed. “He looked a little different, but maybe his hair wasn’t the right color, but I did. He had blond hair, and he was wearing that same uniform. I was weirded out by him at the diner two weeks ago.”

  “Can you give us a better description?”

  “He had blond hair and blue eyes. His voice was different than the guy but not. It was like he tried to mask it.”

  “Can you think of anything else?”

  “I don’t know, but I don�
�t think it was him. Maybe I’m crazy. I mean, I didn’t have the Charger yet.” She shook her head, trying to puzzle it out. “I don’t know. That man gave me the creeps, but I’d have to hear him again.”

  “Well, we’ll look for officers that match that description and check their whereabouts. I promise you this: we’re going to nail this bastard,” Malone said

  “He’s right,” I told her. Looking at Malone and McManus, I asked, “Do you need anything else from her?”

  “Not at the moment, but we’ll contact you if we need to. We know you’re not residing at your home, correct, Ms. Garcia?”

  “No, she’s staying with me.”

  “Then we’ll contact you. I’d hate to have her contact information on file if he’s looking for her and works with us. God, it’s fucking disgusting,” McManus grumbled.

  This was the worst possible scenario that one of their own was the mass murderer because we knew these women were no longer alive. Only three of the twelve had been found, but there had been no evidence remaining on the bodies. I could feel Macy weaken as she stared at the pictures of each missing and dead girl. I had to get her out of here before she fainted.

  “Come, let’s go, baby. You need some food and some rest.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Macy

  “I’m not hungry,” I told him the second he helped me into the truck, loving the way his touch penetrated my clothes and lingered. I couldn’t take my eyes off his handsome face, thinking about the way it would feel to wake up to that gorgeous mug every day.

  “That’s fine, baby. Let’s go back to the house and relax.” He placed my seatbelt on, tugging on it before giving me a little peck on my lips. How can he do that? I felt so upset, and with one small smile and taste of his lips, I was swooning.

  “Yes, and finally watch a movie in your giant movie room,” I teased. He smirked and closed the door. Once he was inside, I took in his profile. A strong, scruffy chin with a perfect brow made him super sexy.

  “What? Is something wrong?” he asked, stealing a glance in my direction. “Am I driving too fast?”