“You didn’t have to ask, sugar.” He leaned down and captured her mouth in the kiss she had dreamed about since the first day they met.
Stop. Stop. Stop.
But it was already too late. The decision had been made when he had seen her on the dance floor. He kissed her lightly at first, teasing and tasting, savoring the rich tang of wine on her soft, plump lips. Then he gave into passion, diving in deep, claiming her mouth, hot and wet. A sensual feast long denied.
Katy moaned and arched her back, pressing her breasts against his chest. For the briefest moment he considered releasing her to attend to the enticing mounds, now freed of their constraint, but he couldn’t pull himself away.
He sucked her bottom lip between his teeth, nipping gently, until a low, rich groan tore from her throat and her head dropped back against the wall. She tugged against his hands, trying to free her arms. But he couldn’t let her touch him. Already they had gone too far. One caress and he would lose that single strand of control keeping him sane. Tightening his grip, he deepened the kiss, taking more of her mouth, feeding his hunger. Feeding hers.
Finally he pulled away and captured both her wrists with one hand, freeing the other to shove her corset down further. He cupped her breast, squeezing lightly as he teased the dusky tip with his thumb.
“Oh God. Don’t stop.”
“I have no intention of stopping, sugar.” He turned his attention to her other breast, laving her nipple until she moaned. His cock stiffened and throbbed under the constricting barrier of his clothes.
Waves crashed against the concrete walls below, enveloping them in a cool, fine mist. He brushed water droplets off the velvet softness of her exposed breasts and then trailed his fingers down over the smooth satin of her dress to the concave dip of her belly. When he reached her mound, he tugged at the skirt bunched around his thigh.
Stop. Not here.
But he couldn’t stop. He wanted her with a fierce ache, so shocking in its intensity, it almost took his breath away. And yet, he wanted something more.
The glass door rattled and flew open. Mark froze then dropped Katy’s hands and forced himself back. A couple joined them on the balcony, so intent on their conversation they did not realize they were not alone.
Heart pounding, Mark pushed Katy behind him. He hid her from view while she straightened her clothing and laced herself up. When the couple turned toward the water, Katy slipped past him and out the door.
He caught up to her in the hallway, his pulse still hammering in his ears. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen from his kisses, her hair in disarray. Sexy as hell. He wanted her even more. “Come to the club, sugar. We’re heading over there now.”
The look she gave him made his heart stammer in his chest. Regret? Uncertainty? Fear? He couldn’t tell. They needed time alone. Time to talk. Time to finish what they started.
“I have work to do. Pictures. Mingling.” She blushed and bit her lip. “We shouldn’t have…”
Mark smiled. “Maybe not, but I wouldn’t trade that moment for anything. Don’t tell me you have regrets.”
She looked up at him and her bottom lip quivered, still plump and swollen from his kiss. “I do,” she whispered. “And I don’t.”
Katy shifted her weight from one foot to the other. After two long hours of shaking hands and posing for pictures at the banquet, her stiletto boots had finally lost their appeal. She desperately wanted to go home and get the damn boots off. But first she needed a cab. And for some reason, there were none to be found.
The last few partygoers exited the hotel and she watched with longing when they walked down the street to a waiting car. Next time she would forgo the tequila in favor of driving herself home.
She walked to the corner and turned down a side street beside the hotel, hoping to catch a cab before it hit the main road. She had only taken a few steps when a hand grabbed her shoulder and pushed her against the wall with a violent shove.
“Katherine.” Jimmy’s eyes gleamed fever bright, sending a surge of adrenaline through her veins.
“Jimmy. You’re out of jail.” She kept her tone low and even, calm, despite her thundering heart. He looked more gaunt than usual, and his dark eyes had sunk farther into their sockets. Still there was no mistaking the menace in his voice or the grim set to his mouth. She slid her hand into her purse and fumbled around for something to use as a weapon.
He nodded. “Thanks to you, the judge reduced bail. I had a friend spring me this morning.”
“Great.”
Katy’s fingers closed over the cold steel of her nail file and she slid it into the sleeve of her coat before drawing her hand out of her purse.
Suddenly, Jimmy’s hand shot out and circled her neck. “Not great,” he snarled. “I hadn’t even gotten a block from the jail when some psycho cop dragged me into his vehicle and drove me down to the police station for questioning. Apparently the cops found a plastic bag at Val’s place with my prints on it, and they wanted to know what might have been inside.”
“You should have called me.” Katy choked on her words as his fingers closed around her neck. “You had the right to have a lawyer present when they questioned you.”
“I should have called you and asked you for my fucking pills,” Jimmy shouted. “But I thought it would be better if I came in person. Your secretary told me where you were. I’ve been waiting all night out here.”
“I don’t have your pills.” Her heart pounded against her ribcage, and she slid the nail file into her palm.
“Don’t lie to me!” Jimmy yelled. Drops of his saliva flecked her face, and her head jerked back, hitting the wall. He increased the pressure on her throat, cutting off her air. She made a feeble attempt to stab him with the nail file but her arms were suddenly too heavy to lift.
“Val took one of the pills, so they had to be in the apartment. You were the one who found her. I told you about them. The police didn’t have them. I’m not stupid. I can do the math. I want them back.”
Jimmy faded into a gray haze and Katy sagged against the wall.
“Fuck. Wake the fuck up.” He released her and the sharp sting of his slap on her cheek cleared the fog from her brain.
She gasped and drew a breath of sweet, cool air into her lungs as she considered her options. She wouldn’t get far running in her damn boots, and he was twice her size, so attacking him didn’t have a high likelihood of success. She could scream, but at this late hour and on a side street, she doubted anyone would come to her rescue. She would have to talk her way out. It was, after all, what lawyers did best.
“I told you, I couldn’t take anything from a crime scene. I didn’t take the pills. And if you touch me again, I’m going to scream. Since you’re on probation, one strike will land you back in jail.” Her words came out in a rush but with a conviction that surprised her.
“You don’t understand,” he growled “You don’t know who you’re dealing with. They are serious players. They know I had the pills and they want them. Just hand them over to me and I won’t tell them you’re involved.”
Katy began a slow backward walk toward the main street. “For the last time. I didn’t take them. Someone else must have been in the apartment after Val died.” She stopped. Mark. He had been in the apartment too. They had split up to make their phone calls.
Her face must have revealed her thoughts because Jimmy narrowed his eyes. “Tell me,” he growled. “Who else was there?”
Katy shook her head. “No one.” She reached the safety of the main road and looked for help. In the distance she could see headlights, and a couple walking toward her.
“Get the fuck back here,” Jimmy spat. “We’re not done. You’re my fucking lawyer. You’re supposed to help me.” He took two steps toward her and then spotted the couple, now only half a block away.
“Fuck.” He retreated into the alley and Katy raced down the road toward her unwitting rescuers.
“I don’t believe you,” Jimmy called afte
r her. “When they come for me, I’m going to give them your name.”
Chapter Ten
“Ohmigod, lookit the boots! Not really what I pictured you in, but damn, girl, you look hot.” Trixie gave Katy a friendly hug. “But what are you doing here? With Val gone, I didn’t think we’d see you again.”
Katy bit her lip, hoping Trixie wouldn’t see it tremble. “I bumped into Mark earlier this evening at a legal function and he said he was coming here. I need to talk to him.” Actually, she needed to go home, calm down and think through what to do about Jimmy. But instead, like an idiot, she had asked the cab driver to bring her here.
Trixie studied Katy intently and her forehead creased into a frown.
Katy’s pulse kicked up a notch. Was it Mark? Was he here with someone else? “What’s wrong?”
“You’d better come into my office.” Trixie led Katy into a spacious room, decorated in warm, earthy colors. Filing cabinets lined the far wall and a glass desk took up most of the center space.
She dropped into a huge, overstuffed, beige chair, motioning for Katy to sit on the chair beside her. “You don’t look so good. In fact, I would go so far as to say you’re in shock.”
“Don’t be silly.”
“I’m sure it will surprise you to know that I don’t work here all the time.” Trixie leaned over to pat Katy’s arm. “I’m a registered nurse, and I know when someone is in shock. Even if you didn’t have the pale and clammy skin, huge pupils, dazed look and trembling hands, I would be concerned about the bruises around your neck.”
Katy’s hand flew to her throat. She’d been so glad to get away from Jimmy, she hadn’t even thought about her injuries. “It’s nothing.”
“Ha. I’ve seen marks like that before on…someone else. It isn’t nothing. Who hurt you, babe?”
Katy shook her head. Much as she wanted to tell Trixie, she couldn’t breach an ethical duty to her client, no matter how evil he was. And that meant she couldn’t talk to Mark either. What had she been thinking?
“I shouldn’t have come.” She stood up but Trixie grabbed her hand.
“No, stay. I’ll look after you. Also Mark would kill me if he found out you were here and I let you go. Why don’t I bring James in for a chat while I get the first aid kit? He’s here tonight.”
Katy shook her head. “I don’t want to talk to the police. Not yet. I have a few things I have to do first. Plus, I’m sure he’s here to relax, not work.”
Trixie drew Katy back down into the chair. “James is always working. I can’t tell you how many times he’s arrested people at the club when he’s supposed to be here having fun. Actually I think it is fun for him, wandering around, drink in hand, pouncing on the assorted criminals who make it through the door. He needs to find himself a girlfriend. Someone who’ll lighten him up and show him there is more to life than catching criminals.” She cocked her head. “You sure you don’t want me to get him?”
“I’m fine, Trixie. If you could call me a cab, I’ll get out of your hair.”
Trixie tucked a blanket around her and put a hand to Katy’s forehead. “How about you wait for Mark and let him take you home?”
“I don’t need him,” Katy said. “Actually, I really don’t want to see him. This evening…we went too far. I can’t face him. I don’t even know why I came here.”
Trixie gave her a soft smile. “Because part of you knows he would care. I’ve known him for a long time. I know what kind of man he is. He would want to know, and he would keep you safe.”
“That’s just the problem.” Katy sighed. “He’s the one person who can’t keep me safe.”
“Well, look who’s in trouble again.”
Lana sucked in a breath as the cop from the alley walked into the tiny, windowless room at Carpe Noctem. The same cop who had scolded her over the phone for daring to put a brochure on his vehicle. Too bad he hadn’t told her his name. Up close, she could see he wasn’t as old as she had first thought. He probably had eight to ten years on her at the most. A strong jaw complemented the chiseled planes of his face, and his offset nose, obviously broken many times, only added to his appeal.
Dangerous. Exciting.
A woman followed him in and closed the door. Short and curvy with a shock of platinum hair, she had a pleasant face and a warm smile.
“Where’s the camera?” The cop leaned against the wall and folded his arms, studying her with sharp, steel blue eyes. She suspected those eyes didn’t miss much.
She shrugged. “What camera?”
“I’m not in the mood for games. Three different people saw you taking pictures, including the owner of the club.”
Years of experience in the principal’s office had given her the ability to remain cool under pressure, but this cop unnerved her. She hadn’t expected hugs or kisses but she had thought he would at least acknowledge their phone conversation.
She steeled herself to continue the lies. “Maybe they confused me with someone else.”
“Not in that outfit.” He lifted his chin, motioning toward her.
Lana smiled and looked down at her electric-blue, fringed bra and matching spandex mini skirt. Okay, so maybe she shouldn’t have squeezed her generous ass and boobs into the unforgiving fabric, but damn did it highlight her curves. Plus, she couldn’t resist the color. Hell, why wear black when you were showing off the assets?
She winked. “You like what you see?”
He raised a warning eyebrow. Lana slammed her mouth shut. Dammit, Lana. This is serious. But he was so gorgeous; she couldn’t resist a little tease.
The woman with the platinum hair giggled and the tassels on her outrageous gold and green outfit shook with the slight movement. Lana liked her right away.
“Your lack of respect is going to get you in trouble.”
Lana didn’t take her eyes off him. “I’m thinking it already has.”
He leaned across the table, grabbed her purse and dumped the contents in front of her.
“Hey!” Lana frowned. “That’s an illegal search.”
He pawed through the pile of make-up, gum wrappers, condoms and parking tickets. “You waived your rights when you snuck into the club.”
“It was an honest mistake. I was dancing at the bar next door. I came out for a breath of fresh air. I saw the unmarked red door. I thought it was another entrance and followed someone in. Imagine my surprise when I found myself in a kinky sex club. My innocence has been corrupted. I’m the one who should be upset.”
He pulled a few condoms from the pile on the table and waved them at her. “Innocent girls don’t dress like that and walk around with a bag full of condoms.”
Lana winked. “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned my outfit. I’m flattered. And the bag isn’t full of condoms. There are only about ten. This is a sex club, isn’t it? Doesn’t everyone carry condoms here?”
The platinum blonde snorted a laugh.
Damn. Get the mouth under control. But something about him fired off all her cylinders.
His jaw twitched. Did she see the ghost of a smile? If so, it disappeared in an instant.
Lana pushed back her chair. “Okay. You’ve had your fun. You can see I have no camera so I’ll just collect my bag of condoms and get going. You can keep one as a souvenir. Or did you want to frisk me first?” She gave him a little wiggle and finished with a theatrical pose.
Hysterical laughter filled the room. The blonde dabbed at her eyes and gasped in a breath.
“Trixie.”
The blonde froze at the cop’s sharp reprimand. “Sorry.”
She had a soft, musical voice. The kind of voice Lana had always wanted. But no, not for her. At best her voice could be described as husky.
He ignored Trixie and glared at Lana. “Who are you following and who are you working for?”
Lana folded her arms. “A little professional respect here. I have to maintain client confidentiality.”
“Maybe we should take her to the back. I’ve always w
anted to watch a good spanking.” Trixie’s voice took on a sharp, discordant edge.
Lana scowled at her new friend. Platinum is just so out.
The cop rubbed his hand over his chin. The five o’clock shadow looked good on him. Roughened him up just the way she liked ’em.
“Maybe…”
Lana jumped up. “You are not seriously considering spanking me. I’d have the police down here so fast your head would spin. Then I’d hire the best lawyer in the city to sue you until you didn’t have a dime. That’s after I take that paddle and stick it where the sun don’t shine.”
Trixie slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.
The cop raised an eyebrow. “The police?”
Ooops. “I mean the other police.”
“Sit,” he commanded.
She sat. How did he do that?
He took the chair across from her. “I want the camera. I know it’s here.”
His eyes glittered as if he was a snake charmer trying to hypnotize her. Maybe he was hypnotizing her. Damned if she could look away. Liquid arousal shot through her veins, startling her with its intensity. Wow. When had she ever responded to a man that way?
Don’t look at the lipstick. Don’t look at the lipstick.
She dragged her eyes away and looked at the lipstick.
“Thank you,” he murmured. His soft rumble made her cheeks flame. She imagined hearing that sensual voice in her ear at night, telling her exactly what he planned to do with her body.
Holy cow. Get a grip. Danger situation here.
He picked up the lipstick and pulled it open. The tiny camera lens glinted in the overhead lights.
“Nice piece of equipment. Whose pictures am I going to find on here?”
Her bottom lip quivered. Her best surveillance equipment and her best photos gone in a flash. Mr. S wasn’t going to be pleased. Poor old Jetta. It would have to wheeze along for another few months.
Legal Heat Page 13