Nemesis: Katie's story (Heart of Stone Book 15)

by D H Sidebottom

  Unwilling to allow her to back down, I spun her around and gripped her wrists, slamming them above her head as I crashed my mouth over hers. Her lips parted instantly and her tiny tongue collided with mine, her kiss hungry and hot.

  I moaned into her, nipping her bottom lip and making her shiver in need. She pushed against me, her body fighting with me while her mouth devoured me. The contradiction in her was quite alarming, her mind split two ways; to give in, or battle with what she really wanted.

  I felt the shift in her almost instantly. Her body stiffened and her fists clenched, before she pulled her mouth away and pressed her hands into my chest, pushing me back.

  “No.” Her voice was breathless, her lips glistening as she shook her head and glared at me. “What the fuck was that?”

  I smirked, shaking my head and sighing in frustration. “I think you’re well aware what that was. That, Katie, was us, the connection we have. I’m not even sure why you’re fighting it.”

  Her eyes widened, the glorious greens twinkling with indignation. “Are you serious, Hope?”

  Holding her fierce glare, I shrugged. “Oh, I’m very serious, sweetheart.” She stepped back away from me when I moved forwards towards her. “One of us is going to die, Katie. No one has to know what went down between us. I’m rather disappointed that the only thing holding you back from this is your stubborn pride. You care too much what other people think than you do your own satisfaction.”

  “Jesus fucking Christ!” She exhaled heavily. “You really are full of yourself, aren’t you!”

  Unable to resist, a wide grin spread over my face as a small chuckle escaped. “You can be full of me too, just let go.”

  She flicked her hands in the air and growled in annoyance. “We’re booked into Fredrik’s at eight. Stillman will be dining there with one of his tarts. Please make sure you’re ready.”

  “I’m always ready, sweetheart.”

  “Hmm,” she mumbled before she took off back up the stairs.

  I watched her tight little arse swing before she rounded the corner at the top and disappeared.

  “Fuck!” I hissed under my breath, annoyed with myself. I couldn’t help my reaction around her, and although she had a hot little body, I couldn’t understand the pull she had over me. We had a pact, one of us was going to die after we had ended Stillman, and fucking wouldn’t change that. Emotions didn’t come into sex, or death. Both were separate, to both of us. Katie had a reputation for being cold and detached so I was finding it hard to grasp why she wouldn’t just let go and give in.

  Yet, I felt the conflict too. Katie hadn’t wronged me, but I had taken out her husband, in broad daylight, on their fucking wedding day of all days.

  I scoffed, shaking my head at the first sour pang of guilt I had ever felt. I didn’t like the feeling, it was alien, and ugly. It mocked everything I was, and everything I had safeguarded against to be strong and hard. It tightened the band around my chest and squeezed hard.

  “Fucking hell, Tris. There’s ways of doing things.”

  I knew I was a bastard. I’d never been delusional, but peering into Katie’s eyes and constantly seeing the pain I had caused was suffocating at times. I wasn’t built for romanticism or even compassion. The thoughts in my head, and heart come to that, never once spilled over into awareness of who, and what, I was. Except, something about Katie, and seeing the aftereffects of what I had done, crushed the breath from my lungs.

  Twelve

  Katie

  I smiled at the familiar smell of my favourite perfume as I sprayed it liberally over my neck and chest. Steed had loved this particular one, and it had been like an aphrodisiac to him. The many times we’d had a raging argument, and I’d purposely covered myself in the scent just to torment him.

  As if I felt his arms circle me from behind, I hugged his ghost to me and sighed. “See you tonight, baby.”

  I waited for a moment, expecting his soft kiss on my neck, but disappointment flooded me when the mystical touch never came.

  “I’ll bleed for you, my love,” I whispered to the nothing, before stepping into my heels and making my way downstairs to find Hope.

  He was stood with his back to me, and, hearing my shoes click on the ceramic floor tiles, he turned to face me. His eyes widened as they slowly roamed over the figure-hugging black dress I wore.

  “Jesus!” The faint squeak in his voice made me roll my eyes.

  “Anyone would think you’d never seen a woman in a dress before.”

  “Not one as hot as you, sweetheart.”

  It was never-ending with him. The constant flirty innuendo should have frustrated me, yet the way his words always made my body come to life excited me as well as angered me. I should cut out his tongue so he couldn’t tease my senses with the relentless come-ons, but I couldn’t help imagine just what else he could do with that tongue.

  Glancing at him, I admired the way he filled out a simple but smart black suit. The expensive cut of material that moulded to every hard muscle, the way he styled his thick black hair, and his chiselled, cleanly shaven chin made him look like he’d just stepped out of a ‘Hot Bad Boy’ calendar.

  Bringing my gaze back to his face, I sighed at the smug smirk he always seemed to wear when he caught me looking at him. But, for once, he remained tight-lipped, no hint of a pick-up line teasing me as he offered his arm for me to take.

  “Time to play, Ms Steed. Do you have your toys with you?”

  Nodding, I tapped both of my thighs, feeling the thin swell of Thelma and Louise under the silky material. “I’d feel undressed without them.”

  Oh dear. I really needed to watch what I said with this annoying man.

  “I love your choice of underwear, very sexy. Most women like black lace, or red silk, but not you. Your preference for steel, instead of fabric, to protect your cunt drives many dirty and wicked thoughts into my head.” The look in his eyes as they flicked from my thighs to my face was lethal, the imagery in his mind played out for me to see in the shadow of his eyes.

  He stepped towards me, and captivated by the heat in his stare, I stood still, unable to move away. His hot breath whispered over my cheek when he brought his mouth to my ear and a bone-deep shiver raced through me.

  “The deep crimson of your blood, flowing down your creamy thighs as I bury my cock to the hilt inside that hot, wet little pussy of yours. The way your nails claw at me when I take you so hard you’ll touch nirvana.”

  Closing my eyes, frantically trying to calm myself, I bit into my bottom lip to contain the moan of need fighting its way up my throat.

  “The way your back arches, the way you scream my name, the way you stare into my eyes when you come…”

  “Enough!”

  Managing to find an ounce of discipline, I pushed him away. My face burned with the heat voyaging in my veins, but that was nothing to the burn pulsing elsewhere. I hated that he made me feel this way, the need and the want clashing inside me and threatening to shatter my sanity.

  Breaking away, I snatched up my bag from where I’d placed it on the small table in the entrance hall and flung open the front door. “Lock up behind you, Hope. I’ll be in the car.”

  I could envisage his smug grin in my mind and I refused to turn around and witness it for real. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing the lust in my eyes.

  I needed to get laid, and fast. I was just horny, that’s all it was. Nothing to do with Hope, just my lack of orgasms lately.

  He still wore that damn arrogant smile when he climbed into the passenger seat. I dug my nails into the palm of my hand to stop me from punching the fucker in the face and wiping the grin off it.

  Checking my mirrors before reversing down the drive, a shiver suddenly washed over me. Alarm bells screeched in my head and every single hair on my body prickled with attention. My heart went into overdrive, my senses keen, and my breath left me in rush of air as I twisted in my seat to catch another glimpse of the shadowy figure stood in
the bushes.

  “What is it?” Hope asked, turning in his own seat to look in the same direction.

  I was going mad. Nothing but the slight sway of the branches and the dark shadows of some tall plants met my feverish survey of the area.

  “Do we have a problem?” Hope pulled his piece from the inside of his jacket, clicking off the safety as his eyes scanned the vicinity.

  “No.” I shook my head angrily, chastising my rampant imagination. “Just the bloody trees.”

  Laughing, Hope slipped his gun back into the discretely hidden holster and lifted an eyebrow at me. “Never had you down for all that girly drama, tiger.”

  “You know, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop myself from hurting you soon.”

  He laughed again, turning his face to the window as we sped through the quaint French streets.

  I’d always loved coming to my parents’ chateau, and now, it just made me feel even closer to them. The house was full of their memory, and the local streets were full of mine. For the first time since they’d gone, reminiscing gave me a smile. I’d been nervous about staying here, but now I was glad of it, Mum’s courage and Dad’s strength once again touching the deepest part of me.

  “Hey.”

  I blinked away the memories and looked at Hope.

  “I said, what’s the plan for tonight?”

  “Nothing.”

  He frowned, rearing back slightly in puzzlement. “What do you mean nothing?”

  “I just wanna scope the bastard out. Besides, the food is really good here, and I’m hungry.”

  He shook his head, scowling at me. “Well I’m sure the cunt is going to see us. You may be wearing a dress and all that girly shit for a change, but I still think he’ll recognise us. We really need to work on your stealth techniques, sweetheart.”

  “I hope so.”

  “You hope so?” he repeated with incredulity as his eyes widened on me and his mouth fell open. “Look, Katie, I don’t think you get all this killing stuff…”

  “I like to play with my food before I devour it, Hope. Makes the bite taste so much better.”

  Blowing out an exasperated breath, he held up his hands in resignation, then settled back into his seat. “Okay, tiger. I’ll allow you to lead the hunt tonight, but…”

  “Shush.” I held a finger to my lips. “Your misplaced superiority is making my tits ache.”

  I winked at him when the very edges of his lips twitched and he shook his head in amusement. For once, he listened, and he shut up. It seemed France was becoming even more appealing by the second.

  Thirteen

  Tristan

  Katie pulled the car into an opening on the left side of the road and slowly drove up a long winding driveway. The large bistro lit up like a bloody Christmas tree as the many trees flanking the road opened up. The huge stone walls were covered with climbing ivy and small white flowers, with more lights to illuminate the whole of France. Still, it looked charming and I had to admire Stillman’s choice of eatery.

  Katie pulled up in front of the enormous fountain and instantly a valet was opening her door and giving her a gracious smile. Taking her hand, he helped her out. “Miss Fox, lovely to have you back with us.”

  “It’s great to be back, Phillipe, thank you.” She returned his smile and handed him the keys to the car, along with twenty euros.

  “Bit of a regular, are you?” I teased as I took her hand and tucked it under my arm.

  Replying with just a shrewd smile, she stepped up the huge stairs that led to the entrance doors. I couldn’t help but hold back a little just so I could watch the sway of her fine arse the higher she climbed.

  As she neared the top, her steps became quicker, until she was practically running up the last few. An old man appeared, his arms as wide as his grin, and Katie fell into his welcoming embrace.

  “Katie!” he bellowed as he closed his eyes and hugged her close.

  Eventually, Katie pulled back and beamed widely. The breath I was just releasing rushed from me at the sight of her pretty face alive with happiness. It was a rare sight, but fuck, one I would never forget. Her usual sad green eyes blazed with emerald delight, her plump pink lips curved into an amazing smile, and as she wiped at a stray tear, her giggle was the most remarkable sound I’d ever heard.

  Fuck! I was getting soppy!

  “Frederik,” she whispered his name as though just the feel of it on her tongue gave her great comfort. “It’s been too long!”

  He nodded, giving her a stern look, that, within moments, transformed into another large smile. “It feels like a lifetime has passed.” His smile dropped and a sadness seeped into his sparkling eyes. “And in a way, my dear, it really has.” He leaned into Katie and softly kissed her forehead. “I’m so sorry to hear about your parents. There isn’t another couple on this earth that I would give myself to.”

  Katie smiled, taking his large hand in hers. “And now you’re all mine.”

  They both laughed loudly, Frederik giving her another tough hug. “Come on, I have your table ready.”

  Katie turned and gave me a soft smile. It was like looking at a different woman and for a second I couldn’t get my feet to move.

  “You coming, Hope, or shall I get the waiters to bring your dinner out to you in a doggy bag?”

  There she was.

  The inside of the bistro – which was a ridiculous classification for the massive restaurant – was as decorative as the outside. However, it was still in excellent taste with the old building. The room was buzzing, every single table housing diners and a large area to the right that catered to a small orchestra.

  We followed Frederik up a set of stairs that were cordoned off by a thick red rope and through a door at the bottom of a corridor.

  Expecting to find another large dining area, I was a little stunned to find just a single table, set for two, in front of a colossal window that spanned the entirety of one wall.

  The view overlooked the main dining area, and I jumped slightly when Katie came up behind me. “One-way window, Hope.”

  Now it all made sense.

  Tipping my head in admiration at her nous, I gave her a smile. “Looks like you have one over on me.”

  She scowled and shook her head. “Just disappointed you don’t have more faith in me.”

  Frederik pulled out Katie’s chair and she sat as I took the one opposite her. “Your waitress for the night is Eve, but if you need anything, just let me know…” He winked, and added, “Boss.”

  “You own this place?” I asked with shock when Frederik disappeared.

  “It was my parents’, anonymously, of course. And now it’s mine. But really, on paper, it’s Frederik’s.”

  “Wow…”

  Katie held up a hand to shush me and leaned towards the window. Following her gaze, my gut boiled when I watched Stillman walk in with his usual entourage. A tall blonde woman had her arm hooked through his as Frederik guided them over to a table directly in our line of sight.

  “I love you Frederik,” Katie whispered with a wry smile.

  “We could have quite easily taken him out from here, Katie.” I was annoyed. If she had told me we’d have such a good, clean shot I would have brought my rifle. It could have been so easy.

  Slowly, she turned her eyes to me, and quirked an eyebrow. “Like fuck. This is Frederik’s life, Hope. You take out the police commissioner in his exclusive, and very profitable, establishment, it’ll scare away almost eighty percent of his customers. Plus, I’ve heard one or two things that I need to check out first.”

  That peaked my attention and I narrowed my eyes on her. “Like what?”

  She bit into her bottom lip, as if she was angry with herself for saying too much. “It doesn’t matter, but just believe me when I say I need to deal with that shit before we…”

  “What shit, Katie?”

  Her eyes widened when I leaned forward and a small growl of annoyance rumbled from me. Settling back into her chair,
she folded her arms over her chest and watched me. She didn’t say anything, just sat silently staring at me, until, giving up, I shook my head and turned back to watch Stillman.

  “Shit!” Katie hissed when another couple joined Stillman and his bird.

  “Who’s that?”

  “Fuck,” she cursed again, shooting out of her chair and standing in front of the huge window to get a closer look.

  “Who the fuck is it?” I demanded, turning my glare on her.

  Rage burrowed into every line on her face and her breathing heaved as she gnawed on her bottom lip. “Now it all makes sense.”

  I was struggling to control the anger raging through my veins, and Katie hissed when I caught her wrist in a sharp snatch. “What the fuck is going on?”

  Growling under her breath, she yanked her hand away, and turned her fierce look back to Stillman and his guest. “When we lived in Portugal, my mum and dad made friends with a couple of English locals. Frank and Vickie Scott, and their daughter, Etta, became really close with all of us. Etta and George especially. When George was fifteen, Etta got pregnant with his son.”

  This surprised me. I’d known of the Foxs, but I’d never heard of any grandchildren until George had married the Delaney girl and had a child, both being brutally murdered around a year back.

  “Anyway,” Katie carried on. “My dad found out the whole family were traffickers, including Etta. Frank was sent down, my mum took care of Vickie, and Etta went to live with some close friends while she had her baby and sorted herself out.”

  “What happened to her?”

  “She just disappeared from Kade and Grace’s place around four years ago. We never saw or heard from them again.”

  I looked out towards the table of four, and focussed on the woman who had joined Stillman and his girlfriend. “I presume that’s her.”

  Katie shook her head slowly. “No. But that’s definitely Frank Scott.”

  “He got out of the nick?”

  “Well, if he’s in with the police commissioner, it doesn’t take much guessing how he got out. And now I know why I’m a target. Revenge.”