“Burroughs just called. They found Maria.”
Stone’s knees almost gave way. “How is she?”
“Dehydrated, but otherwise fine.”
“Thank God.” Peter would need Maria to help him heal.
He handed the phone back to the nurse and headed to Susan’s room, his head swimming. Was this nightmare really over? Could she get on with her life now?
He stopped in the hall and leaned against the wall to catch his breath. She could get on with her life. Would she thank him for saving her life, then go back to work as if nothing had happened? Would she even think about how they’d been together? The amazing lovemaking, the sharing of intimate details of their lives? Their narrow escapes?
An ache, more severe than any bullet or blow, nearly crushed his body. What did he really want? Was he ready to trust again? He’d never had anyone who believed in him. He’d built a shell around his heart so thick, he wasn’t sure even he liked himself.
Only one way to find out how she felt. Ask her. Tell her the truth about how he felt.
Wow. Love. Was that what this desperation and need coursing through every cell in his body was called?
Yes.
He rushed down the hall to the elevator. This time when he got to her room, the cop on duty didn’t give Stone any grief when he went in. He’d been about to tell the cop his services weren’t needed, that all of the threats to Susan’s life were over, but given he hadn’t eaten in who knows how long, he wasn’t about to trust any of his decisions.
Could there be anyone else out there? With James in surgery, Dominick and Richard dead, and Papa Francisco in custody, had all the pieces fallen?
At the moment, he’d leave that piece of the puzzle to Harrison and the gang.
Susan’s eyes were closed when he walked in. From the even rise and fall of her chest, she was asleep. He slid into the chair next to her bed and took hold of her hand. Her skin was porcelain white. The stitches in her cheek were gone, leaving a long, red welt. He thought she looked beautiful, all relaxed and peaceful. The bruises that covered her neck would heal, but the fact they even existed jacked up his temperature once again.
His fists stung from ramming into Francisco’s face, but the pain was the good kind of pain, all full of satisfaction and built-up disgust. The throbbing reminded him he’d hurt the bastard who had started this mess.
Her lids fluttered.
“Stone?” Her brows pinched, as did her pretty mouth.
“It’s okay. It’s over.”
“Over?”
“Yeah.”
He told her about Joseph Francisco and how he was now in custody, or would be soon.
“And James?”
“I haven’t heard if he’s out of surgery. I don’t think the staff is willing to tell me much of anything, given my recent outburst.” He held up a finger. “I almost forgot. Harrison called.”
She squeezed his hand. “Did something bad happen?”
He chuckled. “No. He’s not always the messenger of bad news. They found Maria. She’s fine.”
She let go of his hand and relaxed back into the bed. “And Peter? How’s he?”
“He’ll mend.”
Now came for the hard conversation. “I guess you’ll be getting out of here soon and getting your life back, huh?” His mouth turned dry.
“And Craig?”
She didn’t answer his question. “Fine, and home with your mom.”
“Thank God.”
He leaned forward, expecting her to be excited at the prospect of getting back to practicing law. Instead, she turned her head to the side. Her eyes glistened.
“What’s wrong?”
She turned back to him. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. When I was a little girl, I always wanted to please my father. He was my world. My dad was an attorney, as I’ve mentioned before. Ergo, I wanted to be an attorney.”
“I think many kids want to do what their parents do.” Not him. He had no idea who his father was.
She wet her lips and his mind darted off in a different direction.
“I always liked getting up in front of people and trying to persuade them my ideas were right. I hadn’t planned, however, on doing criminal law. When my father was shot by someone he’d put in prison, my world changed. Then Craig had his car accident. Some drunk driver plowed into him. His life was nearly ruined, and I wanted justice. I decided to keep on being a criminal attorney.” Her eyes turned all dreamy.
“And now?”
Her lips pulled back. “I have to do what I really wanted to do, not what would please others.”
“I need to buy a clue here.”
“I want to teach. Get away from the criminals, from the threats.”
A smile tugged on his lips. “That’s the first sensible thing I think you’ve said.”
Her mouth dropped. “First sensible thing?”
He laughed. The sensation of joy creeping up his body was foreign, but a damn good one. “I mean about being safe.”
Now she smiled. “What do you know about safety? You put your life in danger every day, protecting people.”
He leaned back in his chair. “About that. I’m thinking of giving up the bodyguard business.”
“You?”
“If the Bureau still wants me, I’d like to do homicide or something that would keep me in one place. No more staying close to a single person.”
Her skin lost all color. “What are you saying?”
Damn. He’d blown it. His heart thudded in his chest. He’d never told anyone he loved her before. At least not after he’d turned six and Cheryl Lynn moved away. Spit it out.
“That I love you and want to be by your side, not some stranger’s.”
Her mouth opened. Susan pushed up from the bed and surprised the hell out of him by throwing her arms around his neck. She leaned back and kissed him. “You do? You really, really do? Love me, that is?”
Isn’t that what he’d said? Repeating those words might be hard. At first. “Yes.”
“Me, too.”
He hadn’t expected her to return his feelings. “You do?”
She ran a hand over his head. “Yes, silly. You are an incredible person. One that is principled, driven, caring, and loving.”
Before he had a chance to absorb everything she said, someone cleared a throat. Susan glanced up. The light in her eyes didn’t dim, but the smile evaporated. She pulled her hand away, and he twisted around.
“Harrison.” How much had he heard?
“I just checked with the doctors. James didn’t make it.”
He probably shouldn’t be happy, but he was. The scum sucker didn’t deserve to live. “And our other resident killer?”
“He won’t be going anywhere soon.”
“Surely, we have evidence tying him to the killings.”
“You misunderstand. He won’t be going anywhere because when you landed on Francisco, the knife he was holding got caught underneath him. The blade cut his spine. He’s paralyzed from the waist down.”
Stone shut off the sympathy part of his brain. He didn’t want to think about what he’d done to the man. “Pity. We’ll prosecute him, won’t we?”
“Oh, yeah. Tom’s a genius. Or maybe I should give credit to Richard.”
“Richard? How?”
“When Richard got the threatening phone calls, he recorded them. Tom was able to match Joseph’s voice to the recording.”
That wasn’t enough. “We can’t get him for killing the jurors.”
“That’s the sweet part. A forest ranger in West Virginia found Richard’s cell phone on the path.”
“And I bet by that smirk on your face that Tom was able to get the call logs, which proved Dominick spoke to his dad.”
“Yes. The timing of the deaths is too perfect. But the best one is the picture of you holding up Cho, along with one of Cho alive. I have no doubt Dominick Francisco stood outside the window to frame you.”
Exonerated. “Great
.”
“We still have a little more work to do before we can bring Francisco to court, but we’ll get him. Maria is willing to talk.”
Stone wasn’t sure what else there was to say. He wanted to get back to the conversation with Susan. Harrison took the hint and eased out of the room. “So, where do we go from here?” He was never one to hold his breath for any answer, but he found he couldn’t breathe, waiting for her to answer.
“I say we blow this place.”
Stone laughed, never happier in his entire life.
* * * *
Thank God the doctor finally gave Susan the okay to leave the hospital. One more day in there and she would have gone crazy. She was dying to get Stone in bed where she could kiss him, run her hands down his body, and make love to him all day long. She snuggled up to his side as he held open the hotel door. “I can’t imagine. Two whole days without interruptions.”
He smiled down at her. “I know what my plans are going to be.”
“Me, too.” She squeezed his bicep and smiled at his arms of steel.
As soon as they stepped inside their room, Stone slipped off her sweater. She looked up at him. “You in a hurry?” She was, that was for sure.
“If I recall, the last time we made love, you exhibited very little self-control.”
She planted a hand on her hip. “Me?”
“Yes you. You practically jumped my bones. One glass of wine and you were putty in my hands.”
“That’s so not true.” Sure, after he licked and sucked every part of her body, she’d wanted him so badly that when he entered her she’d climaxed almost immediately. “After what I’ve been through, however, I’ve developed quite a strong constitution.”
“Constitution, is it?” He ran a finger down her nose and over her lips. “We’ll see who can last longer.” Stone winked and her pulse missed a few beats.
She flicked her nose in the air. “A challenge I will relish.”
His eyelids lowered as he stepped closer, his chest lightly pressing against her. Without saying a word, he unbuttoned her blouse, keeping his gaze on her face. His knuckles rubbed against her skin and she groaned from the intimate contact.
“You are so beautiful.” His breath caressed her face.
She’d been about to argue that the scar on her cheek didn’t qualify her as a beauty queen, but with the way her touched her, she believed what he was saying. “So are you.”
Her blouse landed on the floor, and his eyes widened. Stone leaned over and nipped her breast through the bra. Shivers of delight sped up her spine. As she reached behind her back for the clasp, Stone’s fingers beat her to it. Like a strip poker game in which she had every losing hand, one by one her bra, shoes, socks, jeans, and panties landed at her feet.
He raked his gaze over her body. “Dear God, but you’re a vision.”
Naked and vulnerable but excited, Susan stood before him. His eyes sparkled as he wet his lips, then scraped his rough palms across her nipples. Goose bumps formed all along her arms and legs. My, what this man did to her.
When she reached up to touch his chest, he shook his head. “No touching. It’s not your turn yet.”
That was just not fair. “Why?”
“I want to admire you while I study every curve of your luscious body and touch every inch of softness you have to offer. If you play with me, I won’t be able to concentrate.” His low, rich voice mesmerized her. “We have two days, remember?”
Susan nodded, not in agreement, but because her thoughts had evaporated for a moment. “I can’t touch you at all?” She wouldn’t last. She didn’t have the strength to remain still while his hands carved a path along her skin. Her mouth dry, she zeroed in on his cock. Straining against his jeans, it called to her and she reached out, managing to get inches from the rough material before his hand once again stopped her.
“You’ll get your turn.” He kissed her lightly on the eyes and leaned back. “I promise.”
“You win. I give up.” She laughed, really laughed for the first time in what seemed forever.
When his lips descended on hers with the firmness she desired, he stole her breath away. Eyes closed, she opened her mouth and invited him in. He tasted of coffee and cinnamon. His hands cradled her face, giving her the chance to grab the loops on his jeans and tug him closer.
His fingertips slid down her neck to her breasts, all the while his kisses turned more urgent. Her pulse raced, and she couldn’t get enough of him. Before she realized what he was doing, the back of her knees bumped into the bed, and she tumbled down. Supporting himself on his elbows, Stone fell on top, never stopping his kissing assault. To hell with his request. Susan grabbed his back and was thrilled with the play of muscles under his shirt. “Oh, God, you feel so good.”
In a flash, he was up, and her grasp loosened as he dragged her legs onto the bed. “Now for some more fun.”
After he opened her legs wide, and lay down on the bed with his head near her pussy, his tongue found her clit and she nearly jumped off the bed. Enough was enough. “I need to touch you.” She bucked for closer contact with his mouth. “Faster.”
Stone obeyed. A thick finger replaced his tongue and Susan scooted closer for more contact. “Get out of those clothes. I need you.” She panted, the incessant pulses contracting her insides with pleasure.
Suddenly, he was gone and cold air rushed over her abdomen and breasts. His absence caused her to groan, but she knew it would be worth it to watch him undress. He unbuttoned his jeans in one quick rip. She would have preferred a slower striptease, but as soon as his rippled abs appeared, time stopped and her gaze remained on his body. One by one, his shoes clunked on the floor. Then off came the jeans, and finally he tossed the boxers away. In two steps he was at her side. “Better?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Apparently all thoughts of the forbidding her to touch him went out of his head, for the moment she grabbed his cock, he sucked in a breath.
He stilled her hand. “I want to take my time with you, savor everything about you, but I’m so near to coming, I can’t wait.”
“Me neither.”
Perhaps it was her need for control, but she scooted out from under him and nudged him on his back. Before he could orchestrate her next move, she ran a tongue along the length of his throbbing dick. He jerked, and her heart lunged. Gently cupping his balls, she stroked him with her mouth, going slow, then fast, then slow.
His hand stilled her. “Wait, wait.” He licked his lips as if he was on the edge of losing control.
“You calling uncle?”
“Yes, you win.”
She didn’t know why his concession gave her such pleasure. She opened her legs wide and dropped down on his glistening cock. With his hands on her hips, she rode him for all it was worth. The thrill of being one with Stone buoyed her spirits to the point where she almost felt whole. Up and down, up and down.
“My turn,” he said, as he flipped her onto her knees.
He ran a thumb down over her clit, licked her once more then nudged her open. He slid his big cock down her wet channel, stretching her to the hilt. He pounded into her as he moaned her name.
Blood pounded in her ears until a giant scream erupted from her lips, and she climaxed so hard she thought her insides would explode. A second later, hot, warm cum shot inside her.
She collapsed onto the bed. Words wouldn’t form, the ecstasy was too great. He dropped to the side and pulled her close. With her head on his chest, she stroked his arms and his face. “Wow.”
“Yeah, wow.”
“So is this how you see our future?” He’d said he loved her.
His warm fingertip traced the scar on her cheek. “Every day and every night.”
She sat up and kissed him. The urge to start all over again washed over her. And she did just that.
THE END
http://melodymonroe.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Unlike most other authors, I started writing late in
life. Writing stories in high school and college was not for me. Only after I graduated did I fall in love with romance novels. For the next twenty years, I read voraciously. It got to a point where my book buying habits cost as much as my groceries. At that point, my husband suggested I write a book. Hey, it looked easy, right? All the stories started in the same spot (hero and heroine at odds) and ended the same way (happily ever after). Only it was anything but easy. Eleven years and fifteen completed romantic suspenses later, I finally published. I never would have gotten that far had it not been for two local chapters whose generous members shared their amazing wealth of knowledge.
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Monroe, Melody S. - Verdict (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 28