Retribution Boxed Set (Books One and Two)

by Stark, Cindy

He opened the fridge, surprised to find a plate of delicious-looking pork and some kind of rice covered in plastic. “Is this for me?” he yelled.

  “Maybe,” she answered, and he was surprised to find her standing so close. “You can have it if you’ll quit being so obstinate.”

  He lifted the plastic and smelled. “What is it?”

  “It’s pork and rice.”

  “I figured that.” He grinned, a warm sense of coming home filling him. “I meant what’s the official title. You chefs never cook just pork chops. There’s always some fancy name.”

  Her eyes brightened, and he could tell he’d scored a few points. “It’s a grilled porterhouse pork chop with chipotle cilantro butter.”

  “See? I was right. It looks amazing. Should I microwave it?”

  “Of course.”

  “It’s too fancy. I wouldn’t want to ruin its perfection.”

  “Too late for that. It’s best served straight from the grill. If you would have been home on time, Christian wouldn’t have been annoyed, and your dinner would have been perfect.”

  Compelled, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. He wasn’t sure if it was a show of appreciation or because he wanted to taste her, or maybe both. He lingered when he shouldn’t have. “I’m sorry. Thank you for thinking of me.”

  Her eyes were wide as he pulled away.

  The feel of her skin beneath his lips shocked him, too, and he turned away, using the excuse of grabbing a fork from the drawer to give him a moment to recover. He shouldn’t have done that. Shouldn’t have put either one of them in that position. Sure, he could claim it was innocent, but from the look on her face, he knew they both knew otherwise.

  “I don’t know if it helps, but I was late because we were busy running down some leads in the case I’m building against Castell.”

  She poured two glasses of white wine and brought them to the table, sitting across from him. “What did you find out?”

  He forked a bite of pork and let the flavors simmer on his tongue. “Wow.” He chased it with a swallow of wine. “This is amazing.”

  She reached out and stilled his fork. “Don’t sit there and eat the food I prepared for you and make me wait for details. What happened?”

  The feel of her hand on his made his skin sizzle. He looked into her eyes, wondering if she felt the same. She blinked and removed her hand. He swallowed, hard, and it wasn’t because he had food in his mouth. “My partner and I went by your old place today. Found Brent loitering. I think he was looking to score.”

  She nodded quickly. “Paul sold stuff to him really cheap. He’d even give it to him for free sometimes. I think he felt sorry for the kid. He’s probably hurting for a fix with Paul in the hospital.”

  “I think you’re right. He looked pretty bad.” He wished he could take the pathetic kid and help him, but until Brent was ready to get clean, there wasn’t much anyone could do for him. “Noah and I talked to him, and he gave us some information on Castell. Also on a guy named Lou Elliott.”

  “That has to be the guy I talked about. He’d come by pretty often.”

  “If I showed you his mug shot, could you identify him?”

  “I’m sure of it.”

  He’d have to print one off at work and bring it home. “I think we also got a name on the guy with the star tattoo. Angel. Angel Hardy.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. It was an upper body shot of the convict without his shirt, and it showcased the numerous tattoos over his chest, neck and face.

  “That’s him,” Janie said immediately. Her face paled, and she folded her arms across her chest. “He’s the one who really scares me.”

  A sudden urge to pull her to him, to tell her he would protect her overwhelmed him. It took a great deal of will not to spout his feelings. “I’m not thrilled to know you were hanging around these guys, but at least we know who we’re dealing with.”

  “And now you understand why I couldn’t walk away so easily.”

  The thought of her running from any one of these guys left him cold. Unless she left town, she wouldn’t have had a chance. “I don’t like it, but I get it.”

  “When I first met Paul, he seemed like a really great guy. He had money, and he treated me well. It wasn’t like I moved in with a known drug dealer.”

  Sam didn’t need the reminder.

  She took a sip of wine and then continued, her gaze slipping to a far-away place. “Maybe I’m a bad judge of character, but he seemed like a good guy. We’d dated about two months. I’d spent plenty of time at his apartment. Things seemed good. I hadn’t met his parents—still haven’t, but I didn’t want to introduce him to my family, either. I hadn’t met his friends, but it didn’t seem like a big deal. He was focused on me, and it was nice for a change.” She blinked. “When he asked me to move in with him, I didn’t hesitate.”

  Sam was about to inform her she didn’t need to explain her choices to him, but she kept talking. Maybe she needed to get it out of her system. He wanted to tell her about the drug bust, too, but it wasn’t only his life on the line when it went down.

  “Then by slow degrees, things started to change.” She took another sip, her expression growing distressed, but she didn’t stop. “He’d be rude or demanding, but then always apologize. I know it sounds lame, but at that moment, it made sense. Then it was a slap, followed by flowers. Then a punch that left a bruise.” Tears formed in her eyes. “I was really stupid, wasn’t I?”

  “No.” He put a hand over hers, wanting to comfort her.

  “Yes, I was. Don’t try to make me feel better.”

  “Okay, maybe.”

  She half-laughed.

  “Seriously, we all do things that have unintended consequences. Some worse than others. At least you’re away from him now.”

  “Yeah.” She sat quietly for a few moments, lost in thought. Then she stood. “I’m going to go wipe my eyes and let you finish your dinner in peace.”

  “You’ll come back? He hadn’t seen her all day, and a twenty-minute conversation wasn’t enough.

  “Okay. Sure.”

  “Good.” He smiled and caught the slight lift of her lips in return.

  Chapter Thirteen

  By the time Janie returned to the kitchen, Sam had disappeared. Her glass of wine had been refilled and sat on the counter along with his as though to remind her he’d be returning. She took both glasses and headed out the back door to the patio.

  Bright stars played peek-a-boo with flighty clouds, coaxing her to watch their games and lose herself in the dreamy depths of the midnight sky. She set their glasses on the table and wandered over to the edge of the patio. Lush trees surrounded the beautiful haven, the soft grass and shadows beckoned to her. She stepped off the stones, enjoying the feel of the grass beneath her feet.

  Sweetly-scented air, enhanced by the smell of lilacs filled her lungs. Mild humidity clung to her skin, making her wonder if a storm would be approaching during the night.

  She belonged somewhere like this. Somewhere safe where she could be herself without worrying if she’d make someone angry. A place she could make others happy by cooking. Somewhere she could live without living in fear.

  Trying to keep others happy, to keep tempers in check, to do something the people around her would approve of was damn hard. This was her life, and she needed to own it.

  She didn’t need to be afraid of her feelings for Sam, either. If she wanted to kiss him and he was agreeable, then she should kiss him. Paul had been a bad seed, but if she continued to let what he’d done to her affect her life, then she wasn’t truly free of him.

  No one who hadn’t lived through what she’d lived through would be able to understand. Even she wasn’t sure she understood how she’d let Paul take complete control of her life. But having her freedom once again was like having a wet, smothering blanket lifted from her face.

  To prove her point, nature sent a soft breeze wafting over her skin.

  Paul wo
uld hate it if she kissed Sam. She had a feeling she’d love it.

  Soon, Paul would be a bad memory. She’d testify against him if that was required to completely have her freedom. And she’d answer the charges Paul had brought against her, confident in Eliana’s ability to defend her. She had photos and witnesses. He had a rap sheet. He was lashing out at her the only way he could now, but the fact was, he couldn’t touch her.

  He’d only been able to touch her physically anyway. Her soul had always been her own.

  “Hey.”

  The sound of Sam behind her made her jump.

  “Sorry,” he said as he approached. “I thought I’d made enough noise coming outside that you’d know I was here.”

  The momentary thunder of her heart settled, and she absorbed the way his smile melted her fears and replaced them with an excited feeling that vibrated through her. “I guess I was lost in my thoughts.”

  “Guess so.” Sam hesitated bringing up Castell again, but he wanted her to know he was doing everything possible to keep her safe. He didn’t want to make her cry again, but he supposed he’d take his chances. “I didn’t finish telling you everything earlier.”

  She stilled and then angled her gaze toward him. “What is it? Is it bad?”

  There it was again. That kick in his heart he got every time their gazes connected. “No, it’s not bad. That kid, Brent, told us about a possible drug shipment that might go down. That’s part of the reason I was so late tonight. I was working with Drug and Vice. It sounds like it could involve Castell, Elliott and Hardy. We might be able to get all three in one fell swoop. And if not, at the very least, it may have a domino effect. Take down one, and the others fall.”

  She took a few steps away from him, running her fingers along the trunk of a massive tree before turning back. “I don’t think you should trust Brent. His loyalty is always going to be with Paul, especially if Paul keeps him happy and high.”

  “You think he’s more loyal to Paul than to his own life? He searched her face, enjoying the concern he found there. She was worried about him, and that filled a hole he hadn’t known he’d had.

  “I think if he found a way to save himself in Paul’s eyes, he’d tell on you.”

  Sam shook his head. “I’ve been in this business a long time, long enough to know when an informant may flip. He was scared that we talked to him. Very scared. Personally, I think he’ll skip town and find a new source.”

  She sighed, but didn’t turn away. She stared at him as though torn by her thoughts.

  “What is it?”

  She started to speak, then stopped.

  He lifted his brows, urging her to continue.

  “These guys are bad criminals.” She folded her arms in front of her in a protective gesture as though she’d need a shield from the backlash of her next words. “I don’t want you to get hurt. Not for my sake.”

  A laugh escaped him, and she frowned. “Janie. It’s not like I’m a rookie here. I’m a trained police officer.” He closed the distance between them and placed his hands on her arms, rubbing the slight chill from them. “I’ve had hours and hours of training on how to deal with people like these guys. Paul might have been able to push around an unarmed woman, but he’s not going to do that to me.”

  “I don’t know.”

  He lifted her chin, forcing her to stare into his eyes. “My shot is deadly, and my instincts are killer. He’s the one who should be afraid.”

  She dropped her arms, and he realized he’d more or less pinned her against the tree. Only inches separated their bodies. The side of his foot rested against hers.

  He stepped away, closer to the house, trying to rein in his feelings. He pretended he hadn’t caught the look of disappointment in her eyes when he’d walked away. What the hell was he supposed to do? They both felt the attraction, but it didn’t seem right to act on it. Not with her just coming off a bad relationship. Or…was that exactly what she needed? A man to show her that not all guys were jerks?

  “Are we going to practice tonight? She moved forward in a predatory way, reminding him of the mountain lion he’d once come across in the Blue Mountains.

  “I don’t think so.” His reserve concerning her was stretched too thin already.

  “Come on.” She gripped his wrist, holding him like he’d done to her before. “Try to get away.”

  His skin heated. He released a careful breath. He couldn’t understand why she pushed his limits. She had to know she played a powerfully seductive game, had to want him close like he wanted her.

  He slipped from her grip, but instead of moving away like he’d taught her to do, he grabbed her hands. Being careful not to hurt her, he twisted her and bent her arms until he had her in a defenseless position. The sensual scent of her shampoo assaulted his nose, and the feel of her soft body against him made him instantly hard. “Like this?” he said.

  Her breath came in soft gasps. For a moment, he was afraid she might freak out, might think he and Paul had something in common. So much for his intent to treat her with kid gloves. He held his breath, waiting for her to react.

  Instead of fighting, she pushed into him, her body heat scorching him through his jeans and t-shirt. “Teach me how to do that,” she whispered.

  “No.” His mouth was against her ear, the silky strands of her hair caressing his cheek. “If you get into trouble, I want you on the defense, not the offense.”

  “Then I’ll ask Christian to show me.”

  She’d pushed his buttons perfectly. He turned her around, still holding her against the rough bark. “I don’t want you this close to Christian.”

  “Why not? Her darkened eyes teased him, and he knew she’d brought up Christian on purpose. She wanted him to kiss her. He could tell by the way she slid her tongue along her bottom lip, by the way she kept sneaking glances at his mouth.

  Oh hell. He had a beautiful woman in his arms on a starlit night. He’d have to be a monk to resist. “Because I don’t want Christian doing this.”

  He lowered his mouth to hers, every inch of him turning to molten lava, burning him from within. She tasted like the wine they’d consumed earlier. And something else. Sweetness? Heaven? All his desires mixed into one?

  With his palms, he framed her face, then plowed his fingers into her soft hair as he plundered her mouth. Her tongue teased him, drawing him farther inside her warm recesses.

  She fisted the sides of his t-shirt as a soft moan escaped their kiss.

  He ached to have more of her and slipped an arm around her, molding her to him. From the moment he’d met her the night Xander had been shot, he’d wanted to do this. Months had passed since that night. He’d only seen her the one time, but he hadn’t been able to forget her.

  When she leaned back, drawing in a deep breath, he stared into her heated gaze. That was no simple first kiss. The taste, the feel of her had shot through him like a high velocity round through a Kevlar vest, leaving his senses reeling.

  He took a step back, though he didn’t completely release her. Then he dropped his arms. He needed distance if he was going to regain control over his actions.

  She arched her brows, a hurt look washing over her face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you.”

  He could picture Paul punishing her for pushing boundaries, and anger flashed into his veins. “Don’t apologize for going after what you want. And never, ever apologize for kissing me like that.”

  Her sad expression turned confused. “Then why are you backing away?”

  “Because if I stay, if you kiss me like that again….” He nearly groaned remembering the taste of her sweet lips. “I’m not going to be able to stop until I’ve kissed every inch of you. And I don’t think you’re ready for that.”

  Her lips formed into an “O”, and then she smiled.

  “Exactly,” he said. “I’m going to catch me another of those cold showers. See you in the morning.”

  Liar, he whispered under his breath once he was inside the ho
use. He blamed her for keeping them from taking the next step, but it was as much his fault as hers. She wasn’t the kind of woman he could love and then leave, and he needed some time to adjust to those kinds of feelings.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The next morning, Sam padded into the kitchen, irritated and horny as hell. Thoughts of Janie had haunted him throughout the night. He’d either stared at the dark ceiling wondering if he should have taken things further, or he’d slept and dreamt about kissing her bare skin. Heaven and hell, both. A morning shower hadn’t helped. Perhaps a good workout would. If he’d been at Hunter’s, he would have forced the guys into a cutthroat game of basketball just so he could kick some ass.

  He’d poured his first cup of hot coffee when his phone buzzed. Noah’s name appeared on his screen. He’d told the precinct he wouldn’t be in much that day since he’d worked extra hours that week and had more planned for the following day. “Yeah?” he answered. It was his best attempt at being cordial under the circumstances.

  “Castell’s been released.”

  “Fuck.” A serious throb echoed through his head and kept on pounding. He hoped this news wouldn’t send Janie into a tailspin.

  Silence came across the phone. “Sam?”

  “Yeah? He couldn’t think beyond predicting Janie’s reaction.

  “This could be a good thing. If we bust this drug shipment, it’s better if Castell’s physically there, right?”

  Sam closed his eyes, trying to get back in the game. If Janie hadn’t been sequestered at his house, if he wasn’t half in love with the woman, he would think this was a good thing. In fact, he might even be anxious about the prospect of taking down a couple of badass criminals. “No, you’re right. I’m just fighting off a killer headache this morning. Brain isn’t functioning.”

  “Did your date turn into an all-nighter?”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “You left work last night in a big hurry and now you have a hangover. I’m wondering if your date ended up being a little more than you’d expected.”