by Suzanne Rock
“How well do you know this woman?” I asked Tess as we approached his apartment door.
“Not well. She approached the charity I work with. Peter was supposed to visit with her and give the lecture, but had to cancel at the last minute due to a family obligation. He called me to go in his place.”
“So this professor didn’t ask for you specifically?”
We stopped in front of her apartment door and Tess shook his head. “No. At least, not that I am aware of.”
I let out a long breath. “Okay. She’s is probably safe, but we could never be too careful.” I pulled out a gun.
“What are you doing?” Tess pushed the gun away. “You can’t go in there waving that around. You’ll scare her.”
I frowned and put the weapon away. “Let me go in first. I want to make sure it’s safe.” I knocked on the door before she could respond. The longer we stood chatting outside in the hall, the greater the chance someone would recognize us from the news stories surrounding the accident.
It wasn’t long before the door opened a crack. A metal chain hung between the door and the frame as a tall, older woman with dark skin and graying hair narrowed her gaze at me through the opening.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Tess.” Tess pushed me out of the way so the woman could see her through the crack. “Please, Professor Mayalla, can we come in? We have nowhere else to go.”
The professor’s features softened as soon as she saw her. “Ms. Abbot.” She flicked her glance from her to me. “That means you must be that cop.”
“I don’t mean anyone any harm.”
“We think that the Wild Ones might be behind the attempt on my life.” Tess took my hand. “We also think that they’re trying to discredit Max in hopes of making us easier to find.”
The professor furrowed her brow. “The Wild Ones, you say?”
“Yes.”
“Just a minute.” The metal clinking of the chain echoed through the hall as she shut the door with her long, manicured fingers, and unlocked it.
“What ever happened to letting me handle things?” I murmured while we waited.
Tess squeezed my hand, then dropped it. “You looked as if you needed help.”
The door swung open, and the professor waved us inside. “Come on in. Hurry.”
Tess breezed past Dr. Mayalla, and I briefly hesitated. While I didn’t trust the woman, we didn’t have any alternative. We needed a place where we could regroup and figure out our next steps.
“There is no love lost between my family and the Wild Ones,” the professor said as I entered her apartment. “You will be safe here.”
Immediately, I was struck by how ordinary everything appeared. The apartment had a no-nonsense, classic feel, with light gray walls and a cream-colored carpet. Black-framed pictures of the professor with different people hung on the walls, and metal-and-glass furnishings decorated the small space. Green plants and scholarly magazines provided the only color in the place. While the decor seemed stiff, the various open journals, empty take-out boxes, and dirty silverware gave the place a lived-in look. If nothing else, this professor really did live here, and it seemed as if she was in the middle of some sort of scholarly work. The scene caused me to relax slightly. Perhaps this wasn’t the big mistake I thought it was after all.
“You know the Wild Ones?” Tess asked.
“Yes. When I was a child, my father had a high-ranking position in the Tanzanian government. The Wild Ones were not as big as the Sungusungu back then, but they were strong, and their numbers were growing. They asked my father to join their ranks.”
“I take it he refused,” I said.
The professor turned toward me. “Of course. My father was never one for violence, and he suspected that the Wild Ones were behind a lot of the human trafficking problems in the country.”
“What happened when he refused?” Tess asked.
Dr. Mayalla fisted her hands. “They made his life . . . difficult. Humiliation and lies we could take, but when they intercepted him on the way to work and beat him . . .” Dr. Mayalla turned away from us and took a deep breath. “We all still have guilt for not doing more, but it was either leave the country, or lose our lives.”
“They threatened you?” I asked.
Dr. Mayalla turned toward me. “They did more than threaten,” she said. “They made good on their promises and killed my older sister.” She glanced at Tess. “Once we escaped, I made a vow to do what I could to help the people in Tanzania through education. Only by exposing these people for the criminals they really are will we see change.”
“That is why you wanted us to speak,” Tess said.
“Yes. The Wild Ones have been selling body parts in order to fund their crimes. The more healthy ones they sell whole as slaves.”
“Human trafficking?”
“Yes.” The professor cleared her throat and relaxed her fists. “But enough about that. We have more immediate issues, don’t we?”
“Yes, and we can explain.” Tess quieted as the professor held up her hand.
“I will hear everything, but first, you both look dead on your feet. Perhaps some tea would help . . .”
“That would be lovely, thank you,” Tess said before I could refuse. I wasn’t much of a tea guy, but I sensed that this was important to her, as if giving us tea was part of some sort of tradition.
The professor moved into the kitchen as Tess excused herself to freshen up in the bathroom. Left alone, I moved over to the coffee table and leafed through the magazines and texts. Most of it was academic publications and reports about the economics and political conditions in East Africa. As I picked up one publication, I bumped the laptop, causing the screen to light up. After a quick glance at the kitchen to confirm I was alone, I sat on the sofa and stared at the computer screen, scanning the words for some clue as to whether this professor was a friend or foe.
The words seemed to be part of a larger lecture on human rights and how they related to African tribes.
“Ah, I see you have found my notes.” Professor Mayalla appeared with a silver tray of tea and biscuits. She nodded to the table and I pushed some of the magazines aside so she could put down the tray. “When Ms. Abbott became . . . unavailable, I had to scramble to create content for the students and fill the gap she left.”
“I’m so sorry,” Tess said as she entered the room. She looked more refreshed and relaxed, in my opinion, more beautiful. It made me wonder, if perhaps we had met under different circumstances . . .
She sat next to me and put her hand on my leg. I had to admit that it felt good there, almost natural. “After this whole mess is over, I’ll come back and give you that talk you’re looking for.”
“Yes, I’m sure the students will look forward to that.” The professor handed each of us a cup. “Now tell me, what really happened?”
Tess related the story, how I had met her at the airport and provided protection. She had artfully left out our arguments and our rather intimate moments. She told the facts, including what happened at the crash site and how there seems to be some people compromised in the police department and how we can no longer trust them. The entire time she talked, I kept drifting away from the conversation, distracted by the way her lips moved, or the casual way she pushed her hair over her shoulder. Part of me wanted to kiss her, but I knew that it wouldn’t be appropriate under the given circumstances.
“And you think that the Wild Ones are behind this?” the professor asked, bringing me back to the conversation.
Tess shuddered. “We think we may have a lead, but need some time to work things out.”
“You are both welcome here.” The professor put down her cup. “I will make up the guest bedroom. If there is anything else I can do to help . . .” She said as she stood.
“You have already done enough.” Tess stood with her and gave her a brief hug. “Thank you.”
She nodded and turned to me. “You are a lucky man,” she said. “Tess
is as strong as she is beautiful. She will do you credit.”
I widened my eyes and got up off the couch. “We aren’t . . .” I waved my hand between us. “There’s nothing going on between us.”
“No?” She glanced at Tess, who averted her gaze, but not before I saw the look of disgust cross her features.
“No.”
The professor considered me a moment before responding. “Perhaps I was mistaken, then. I’m sorry. Let me ready your room.” As she moved away, I started to feel uneasy, as if I had said something offensive, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what.
When we were finally alone, I turned to Tess. Her movements were stiff and jerky as she piled everything on the tray.
“What?” I asked as she rose and started toward the kitchen.
“Nothing.”
She was lying, I could see it in her features. I followed her into the kitchen and crossed my arms. “Don’t say nothing when something is obviously wrong. What happened? Was it something I said?”
She put the tray down on the counter and turned to face me. “You honestly have no idea, do you?”
“Any idea about what?”
“About what you said.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “Just tell me what’s going on.”
She stiffened her jaw and leaned against the edge of the counter. “You said that there was nothing going on between us.”
“Yeah, so?”
She tilted her head to the side and studied my face for a moment before continuing. “Even the professor could see you were lying.”
“I wasn’t lying.”
“Keep telling yourself that. Maybe you’ll eventually start to believe it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
She shook her head and started to retreat to the living room. I grabbed her arm to stop her. “I wasn’t lying,” I repeated. “We talked about this, remember? You know how things have to be.”
“I know what it’s like to live under the weight of your parent’s wishes, and how that weight can keep you down.”
“My situation is totally different from you and your father.”
“Oh yeah? How?”
“First, my father was sick.”
“He used his sickness to manipulate you.”
I fisted my hands. “Don’t you dare—”
“Max, take a look at your life. That man is suffocating you, and you don’t even realize it.”
She couldn’t be serious, could she?
“You can’t sit there and tell me that you would’ve made the same life choices had your father not put you up to it.” When I didn’t immediately respond, she inched closer. “Think about it, Max. What your father asked of you was unreasonable. Just because he failed at his own relationships, doesn’t mean you should give up the hope of ever having one yourself.” She slid her fingers over my biceps. “Tell me, do you really want to give all of this up to fulfill a promise you made as a kid, one you couldn’t hope to understand, let alone fulfill?”
Before I could respond, she framed my face in her palms, stood on her toes, and covered my lips with her own.
Chapter Nineteen
Tess
I don’t know what came over me. All I knew was that the professor and her talk about the Wild Ones made me realize that life was too short. I had spent too much time lurking around in the shadows and watching people live their lives from afar. It was time to stop hiding and start living, even if it was only for this one moment.
Max had said that there was nothing going on between us. I was determined to prove just how wrong he was.
Tilting my head to the side, I slid my tongue into his mouth. He immediately met my advance and tried to take control.
Not this time, buddy. I turned our bodies so that he was the one leaning up against the counter, then continued to kiss him slowly, passionately, as I rubbed my hips against his growing cock. He groaned and slid his arms around my hips, resting them on my backside. He squeezed, sending tingles racing up and down my body. Lifting my leg, I rubbed it against his hip and leaned in closer. He adjusted his hands and pulled me against his erection. The air heated around us, and I knew that he wanted me as much as I wanted him.
The sound of a woman clearing her throat startled me, and I jumped back as the professor came into view. There was a twinkle in her eye as she gestured to the hall behind her. “Your room is ready.”
Suddenly embarrassed, I tried to think of something to say that could ease the tension.
“It’s been a long day. Perhaps we should retire,” I finally said.
“Yes, we should.” Max grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the bedroom. “Thank you, professor.”
The woman’s chuckle followed us down the hall and into the bedroom. Max closed the door, sealing us off from the world.
“Don’t think for one moment you can leave me hanging after what just happened.”
“Will you admit that there is something more than sex between us?”
“If you kiss me like that again, I’ll consider it.” He closed the distance between us. “I have to admit, there’s nothing sexier than a woman who goes after what she wants.”
“Nothing?”
He nodded and bent over to kiss my neck. Heat slid through my body as I hummed my approval.
He felt good, real good, but more than anything I wanted to continue what had started in the kitchen, and that meant taking back control.
Pulling away, I tugged his shirt out of his pants. “Well, admit that you might have some feelings for me beyond the physical, and we can continue.”
“That’s not fair.”
I raised my brows. “Is it?”
“You’re being cruel.” He grabbed my wrists, stopping my movements. “I could just take what I wanted.”
I considered him for a moment. “No, you won’t do that.”
“How do you know?”
I offered him a sensual smile. “Because you want to know what will happen if I take charge.” I leaned in close to his ear and did my best sexy whisper. “It will be better than you think. I promise.”
“Will it?”
I leaned back and smiled. “Yes.”
“Okay.” He held up his finger between us. “Maybe, just maybe, there is something between us.” He raised his brows expectantly, and it was difficult not to laugh.
“Good enough.” It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. After removing his shirt, I eased him back onto the bed and straddled his thighs. Rubbing my hips over his, I watched his eyes darken as I removed my own shirt and bra. He immediately reached for my breasts, but I swatted his hands away.
“Not yet. I’m not finished.”
He raised his brows, but said nothing. Instead he watched as I moved back and forth over his hips and touched myself, allowing the desire inside me to build. He fisted the sheets, and I didn’t need to feel his cock harden between my thighs to know that he was getting as turned on as I was.
Sliding off the mattress, I removed the rest of my clothing and then helped him remove his. “Do you have a condom?” I asked.
“Pocket.” I chuckled at the strain in his voice. Picking up his pants, I grabbed one out of his pocket and proceeded to open it. Turning back, I slid back up on top of him and held the unlubricated condom up to my lips.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Trying something I read on the internet.” With one hand, I held the condom over my opening, making sure the part he enters was facing out. Flashing him a coy smile, I grabbed his shaft and positioned him so the tip of his erection pushed up against the condom. Then before he could react, I slowly settled down over his hips, letting the condom unroll as I moved.
“Oh God.” He curled his fingers tighter into the mattress as I reached his base. “Damn it Tess. That’s amazing.”
“Is it?” I asked after I retreated. “Then this is going to be out of this world.” I shifted until the tip of his erection pushed against my opening. Thread
ing my fingers with his, I inched down over his length, loving how the sweet friction heated my core.
“Oh my god, Tess. You’re so wet.” He tried to disentangle his fingers and touch me, but I wouldn’t let him. Leaning forward, I pressed his hands into the mattress and slowly moved up and down.
“Not yet,” I said as I pushed my hips against his. “I’m in charge here.”
A sensual smile spread out over his lips. “Yes, ma’am.”
We moved together, slowly at first, then faster and harder. Soon, I was forced to let go of his hands and straighten. I touched my breasts and leaned my head back as I moved, loving how the sweet heat was building in my core. I felt his fingers on his hips, more to stabilize than direct my movements. Knowing that he was giving me full reign to have my way with him only added to my desire.
“God, you’re so beautiful.” He planted his feet on the mattress and met my thrusts, driving himself deep into my core. We moved faster, harder, until the world around us faded away and there was only him and me, and the building tension in my core.
“I’m close,” I gasped as I dragged my gaze to his face. “I can’t hold on.”
“Don’t,” he urged. “I’m right there with you, baby. Let me feel you tighten around my cock.” He shifted his hands, pressing my sensitive clit as I moved back and forth.
The added sensation shot through my center, triggering my orgasm. I came hard and fast, calling out his name as pleasure burst through my system. His cry followed my own and as we tumbled deeper and deeper into bliss, a connection formed, and I knew that what we were sharing was special, and would never be duplicated with anyone else. It was amazing, mind-numbing, and best of all, I knew that I was the one to lead us both over the edge. For the first time in my life, I had taken charge in the bedroom, and I had loved every second of it.
“That was amazing,” Max said minutes later when we both laid side-by side in the bed. He had removed and disposed of the condom, and we had both huddled up close under the covers. “I don’t know when I have ever felt so good.”