All the Hidden Sins

by Marian Lanouette

  “Sorry, I lost my head but I do have coffee cake, if you’re interested.”

  “Ah, you set me up. Well played.” He grinned. “I’d love a piece.”

  “We’re talking about the cake, right?” she joked.

  “Well…”

  She punched his arm. It was good to see her relax. She took the cake from the cabinet, cut two pieces, and brought them to the table with the coffee. He watched her over the rim of his cup as she ate the cake and waited her out.

  Changing the subject, she shifted gears. “Yes, I’m tired. I’m whipped from my full weekend and busy Monday.”

  “There wasn’t a problem with Phil tonight, was there?”

  “No, there wasn’t a problem. He wasn’t happy, but what could he do about it? I don’t want to date him.”

  “I should leave. I stopped by to make sure you were okay after the incident with Tom and to get you to sign the report.”

  “As you can see, I’m fine, but tired.”

  “Kyra, there’s something about him. I can’t explain, but my instincts are never wrong. Be careful dealing with him.”

  “Who, Tom?”

  “No, I was talking about Phil but I’d watch out for Tom Russell too. I’m on call tonight if you need anything…anything, Kyra.” He pulled his notebook out of his jacket, started writing in it.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Here’s my beeper number, you have my cell.” He put the notebook away and stood.

  She took the paper with his numbers on it and placed it under the salt shaker.

  Kyra stood with him and walked him to the door. “I appreciate your concern, Jake.”

  He leaned in, took her chin in his hand, lifted her face, and kissed her. A slow, tender kiss that pushed heat through his body. At her response, Jake deepened the kiss as she pressed into him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

  “You keep it up…I won’t want to leave,” Jake said.

  “Isn’t that my line?” Kyra asked.

  “Cute.”

  “You don’t have to rush off.”

  “It’s almost eleven. It’s for the best. Tonight’s not the night, but it will be soon,” he promised, kissing her again. “Get some sleep.”

  “Will I see you for dinner tomorrow night?”

  Jake tightened his hold on her as he rubbed her back and whispered in her ear. “Yes.” He gave her another kiss, nothing gentle this time.

  Her voice cracked. “You sure you want to leave?”

  “I don’t but as I said, it’s for the best.”

  He waited until he heard the lock click into place before he walked down the front steps to his waiting car.

  Chapter 17

  Seconds after she’d locked up for the night, her phone started to ring. What does he want?

  Should she answer it or not? Her finger hovered over the reject button. We said everything there was to be said today.

  Void of emotion, Kyra wondered where all her love for Tommy had gone. Checking her watch, she decided to answer it. It might have something to do with Trevor.

  “Is Trevor okay?”

  “What? Yes, he’s fine. I’m…sorry to call you this late, but I didn’t want to leave…I’m sorry, Kyra. I get crazy when you’re with someone else. You’re mine.”

  “No, Tom, I’m not. And stop following me. I’m not rehashing today’s conversation. Remember who started the proceedings.” She rubbed her temple where a sharp pain shot down into her left eye. Tonight she’d run the gamut from crazy killer to cop to an even crazier ex-husband. What had she done to deserve all this drama?

  “You’re not going to take any blame here?” Tom asked.

  “I do take blame, every single hour of every single day when I walk in the door and Trevor’s not here. I don’t need to be reminded.”

  “Only Trevor, you don’t miss me?”

  What to say? Since he’d filed, she’d lost both her faith in him and her love. He’d been nasty. Had she ever understood who the real Thomas Russell was?

  “I did in the beginning, than you started all your shit—it shut me down.”

  “What if I said I was sorry?”

  “It’s a little too late for ‘I’m sorry,’ Tom.” Kyra held her hand up in mock quotation marks. Too bad he couldn’t see them.

  “I hate when you call me Tom.”

  “Get used to it. Oh, and I filed a complaint tonight about you for following me. You could’ve gotten us both killed.” It was time to play hardball.

  “You’ve become a bitch, Kyra.”

  “I’m protecting myself.”

  “Protecting from what?”

  “You.”

  “Does this mean you’re canceling dinner on Wednesday?”

  The question threw her for a loop. What’s he up to?

  “No, I’m not, but we’ll meet at Trevor’s favorite restaurant instead of the house.”

  “Why?”

  “You scared me tonight and Saturday. I don’t want to be alone with you.” She waited for his reply. The silence continued. “Are you still there?” Silence. “Tom?”

  “Yes.” She barely heard him.

  “Give me a call with the time to meet you at the restaurant. It’s late. I need to get to bed.”

  “Alone, Kyra?”

  “This is the last time I’ll give you an answer to that question. Yes, and remember you have no right to ask.”

  “Bitch.”

  “Yes, I am. I became one when my husband kicked me out of my home and took my son away from me. You left me with nothing.”

  She slammed down the phone, not able to control the tears pouring down her face. Her heart ached where Tom slashed, his words sharper than any knife. She’d never show Tom how each plunge with his sharp tongue ripped her heart apart.

  It’d been a little over a week since she’d been to the casino. Though she itched to go, something had changed. She didn’t need it anymore. Now the only thing she looked forward to was spending time with Jake. She wondered why? If only it had happened before she had destroyed their lives. Oh Trevor, I’m sorry. She cried herself to sleep.

  * * * *

  His plans with Kyra for dinner kept Jake going all day. He hoped she’d confide in him tonight. He rang the bell, delighted when Kyra opened the door wearing her apron, with a dish towel dangling in her hand—call him crazy—she looked sexy in that getup.

  “Weren’t we supposed to go out?”

  Shit, her face dropped. Open mouth insert foot, Jake.

  “I wanted a quiet evening at home. If you want, we can still go out,” she stammered.

  “No, you went to all this trouble.”

  “You did say you wanted to go out, but…”

  He’d embarrassed her. Kyra turned to go into the kitchen. Jake gently took hold of her arm and turned her back to face him. He wrapped one arm around her waist, lifted her chin with his free hand, and searched her eyes.

  “Let’s start over. I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful.”

  “You didn’t.” He hoisted her to her toes as he brushed his lips over hers. Such a tiny thing.

  “Better?”

  “Yes. Come into the kitchen while I put the steaks on.”

  “We don’t have to eat right away.” He wiggled his brow.

  “We should.”

  Dinner—foreplay—the lines blurred. Anticipation with each mouthful whipped his mind and body into a frenzy. Kyra was charming, at times shy, and most of all she was a tease. He’d better help out with the dishes before he said another stupid thing. He grabbed for the plates at the same time she did. His glass of water tumbled all over the bottom of his shirt and onto his lap.

  “I’m sorry.” He jumped up to get a towel but she beat him to it and started blotting the water from his lap. He tried to snatch it
from her as his voice cracked.

  “Give me the towel, Kyra.”

  If it wasn’t so embarrassing he’d have enjoyed the way her face burned red as she handed him the cloth. “I’ll be right back.”

  Gone for a few seconds, she returned with a large beach towel. “Here, why don’t you go into the bathroom and take off your shirt and pants. I’ll throw them in the dryer. Good thing it was only water and not the wine. It won’t stain.”

  “Ah, I love your plan. I wondered how you’d practice your wiles on me and get me to disrobe.”

  “I’m a creative woman, but it seems like you’re stealing my line.”

  “Times have changed.”

  “Not that much.”

  Jake took the towel from her and headed to the bathroom. His ears tuned in to the clanging of dishes as Kyra finished clearing the table. It was hard to keep his mind off her hands when she had tried to pat up the water from his lap. The doorbell sounded. Had she invited anyone else? Christ, and him without his pants.

  “Tom, what do you want?”

  Jake listened in as a drunken Russell talked, slurring his words. “I want my wife.”

  Kyra’s scream pierced Jake’s heart.

  Cursing, Jake wrapped the towel around his waist as he burst into the living room. His vision blurred red as he spotted Russell mauling Kyra.

  “I’m not your wife. Get your hands off of me!”

  “You’re still my wife. The divorce isn’t final,” he slurred as he pushed her hard up against the door, grabbing her left breast with no finesse.

  His anger spiking, Jake ran across the room, the towel wrapped around his waist dropping as he came up behind Tom. He pulled Tom off Kyra and spun him forward. Russell threw a blind punch that glanced off his shoulder. Jake’s right hit its target hard as he landed a punch in Tom’s stomach. Russell doubled over. Jake finished him off with a left cross to the jaw. Tom stumbled back. Jake encased his right leg around Tom’s, tumbling the drunken Russell to the floor.

  Jake captured Tom’s hand and jerked his thumb backward. Russell screamed and ceased struggling.

  “Kyra, grab my handcuffs off my belt.”

  Kyra ran to the bathroom, located the handcuffs, then ran into the living room with them. Jake took the bracelets from her, pulled Russell’s hands behind him and restrained him. He tightened them to pinch into Tom’s wrists. He whispered into Tom’s ear as Tom started to struggle again.

  Still on his stomach, Russell swiveled his head to stare down Kyra as he struggled with his bound hands. “You slut, you’re my wife.” Tom turned to look over his shoulder toward Jake. “Don’t you care that you’re dipping into another man’s goods?” he screamed at Jake.

  Jake was proud of Kyra. She knelt down on the floor by Tom’s head. “Listen, and listen good, Tom, because I’m only going to say this one more time. I’m not your goods and never have been. I was your wife, but not anymore. Don’t ever come back here.”

  “How long have you been doing him?”

  Jesus, the man didn’t get it. The guy’s an ass.

  “Kyra, you should press charges. He’s not going to stop.”

  “I don’t want to give him a record.”

  “He’s been stalking you. This is the third incident within as many days. And he tried to rape you. You need to press charges.”

  Jake watched the battle play over her face as he’d seen it play over other victims’ faces.

  “Walk away for a few minutes before you decide. It’s the smart thing to do,” Jake said.

  He hadn’t gotten off of Russell yet. Russell tried to move, Jake put pressure on Tom’s back with his knee as Kyra walked away from them. Jake watched her pace the kitchen. I hope she asks herself the right question. Will this get me custody of Trevor? She had to press charges for ammunition to gain custody. If she didn’t come up with it, he’d ask it.

  Jake grabbed the cuffs and yanked Russell to his feet. “I want you to put your back to the wall. Good, now slide down it.”

  “Why can’t you put me on the couch?” Russell whined.

  “Because the floor is where the animals sleep,” Jake said, heading for the kitchen. “Kyra, I have him handcuffed. You need to make a decision. I’m going to tell you from experience this will escalate if you don’t do something now to protect yourself. You need to have him arrested. Tomorrow you also need to apply for a restraining order.”

  His heart broke for her as the tears fell from her eyes. “I will,” she whispered.

  Jake walked over to her, still in his boxers. He put his arms around her, holding her close. He thumbed away a tear. “It’s for the best and for your safety. It should also help with the custody battle.”

  “I understand that but…” she said again as she placed a hand on his arms.

  “What do you want to do?”

  “Arrest him,” she said, anxiety filling her voice.

  While he radioed for a patrol car, he kept his eyes on both of them.

  “I’m having you arrested for attempted rape, Tom,” Kyra said.

  “You’re mine.”

  Wondering if he’d feel the same way tomorrow when he sobered up, Jake cocked his head toward the guy. The arrogant bastard didn’t get it. He read Tom his rights.

  “Uh, Jake?” Kyra said.

  “Yes?”

  “You better put on your pants and shirt before the patrol car gets here.”

  “Good idea.”

  He left the room, headed to the bathroom to fetch his clothes. Behind him Tom cursed at Kyra.

  The patrol car arrived within fifteen minutes. Jake talked to the officers. When they took Tom away, he was still cursing. Then, like all pathetic men who had no control, he threatened her again.

  “You’ll pay for this, Kyra,” Tom yelled as the officers dragged him from her condo.

  * * * *

  Jake closed the front door as Kyra sank onto her couch and had a good cry. He walked over and gathered her into his arms, cradling her to his chest. He didn’t say a word while she cried. He let her get it all out. The silence filled the room as she ran out of tears. Rubbing her back in comfort, he kissed the top of her head then rested his head on hers. He wanted to kill Tom at that moment. The anger coursing through him wasn’t important right now. He didn’t want to upset Kyra any more than she was.

  “I’m sorry. It seems lately all I do is apologize.”

  “Shush, rest.”

  Pushing away from him, she looked up. “I told you I had baggage.”

  “This isn’t your fault.” If nothing else, he wanted her to understand that. It always amazed him the way the victims took responsibility for the actions of others.

  “I’m glad you were here. I’d never have been able to stop him on my own.” She shivered against him.

  He hugged her tighter. “Me too. Don’t let him in if he comes back. Call 911 right away, then call me. Understand?”

  “Yes.” She pressed closer into him as his adrenaline evened out. Domestics were the worst calls. Kyra didn’t understand how dangerous Tom Russell had become.

  Chapter 18

  Kyra pushed off Jake’s chest and straddled his lap. She placed kisses on his cheek, nose, and lips. At his response, she parted her lips, slipping her tongue into his mouth, teasing, biting and sucking. He hardened against her upper thighs as she ground her hips into his. There was a violence in her kiss as she searched for what she needed—love, acceptance, distance, and forgiveness. Desperation shoved her forward as she explored his mouth, hoping to ease the passion welled up inside her. Did she dare ask for more?

  “Sit next to me,” he said, his voice hoarse as he pulled back to look at her.

  Why was he lifting her off his lap? Jake placed her beside him on the couch. What had she done wrong? Tonight she needed him. Was he going to turn away from her, leave her in tu
rmoil?

  “Your emotions are all over the place tonight. I won’t take advantage of you when you’re this wrung out.”

  “You’re not. I want you, Jake. I’d hoped tonight we’d see how far the night took us.”

  “I had the same idea, but Tom changed that. Why don’t you get some sleep? Don’t follow through on dinner tomorrow night. Right now you shouldn’t be alone with him.”

  “We’re meeting at a restaurant, not his house. But I don’t want to ever see him again, though I promised Trevor I’d be there. I hope you keep him in jail. This way I’ll take Trevor out by myself.”

  Boy, he went from sexy man to cop in under sixty seconds.

  “Make sure you’re never alone with Tom. Trevor’s a child. Explain to him that from now on it’s either you or Tom, not both. If you insist on dinner and you don’t want me there, make sure you take someone else with you.”

  “I will. Can you find out where Trevor is? I hope he’s not with a babysitter again. If he is, I need to pick him up.”

  “I’ll call the station and have the arresting officer ask Tom.”

  “Thanks, I’ll relax once I speak with Trevor.”

  Kyra got up from the sofa and started to pace back and forth between the kitchen and the living room while she watched Jake place the call to the station. She walked back into the living room as he ended the call and sat on the couch next to him.

  “Trevor’s spending the night at Tom’s parents.”

  “At least he’s safe, though he’s been spending a lot of nights there. I don’t like Tom’s parents,” she rambled on, still embarrassed by Jake’s rejection.

  “Nothing terrible about it, some people are hard to be around. It takes a lot of patience to be in a room with the Russells.”

  “You’ve had dealings with them?” He always surprised her.

  “No, but they’re pompous people. They throw their money around and expect everyone to jump through hoops for them. I don’t trust politicians. I should go and let you get some rest.”

  “Please stay awhile, I don’t want to be alone.” She stared at her cuticles as she picked at them. Jake took her hands in his.