Burn: Book 3 (The Heat Series)

by MJ Masucci

  “Why don’t you go up to my bedroom and take one. I don’t think we are eating for another hour or two.”

  “Bring him upstairs to the nursery. He might be sleepy after he eats since he didn’t get much last night. Just put him down and set the baby monitor.”

  Alicia handed her a bowl of what smelled like bananas, kissed her on the cheek and left her to feed Jackson. The baby was hungry, and she gave him spoon after spoon until he turned his head away indicating he was full. She cleaned him up and removed his bib. Then took him to the library to hold him in her arms. He started to doze off while she held him and she carried him up to the nursery where Savannah was already asleep. She gently laid him in one of the cribs and watched the two babies sleeping for a few minutes. How sweet they looked. She had to turn away when she felt a pang of pain in her chest.

  When she went back downstairs, everyone was convening on the patio for dinner. Michael and Walter were barbecuing steaks on the grill and Felice had prepared a separate meal for her father. She could hear him grumbling that he wanted steak and Ava knew he was on the mend. Xander was nowhere to be seen. Then she heard the clank of metal.

  She could see movement at the horseshoe pit that he and Michael had built several years before. But she was upset with him and wasn’t about to go and beg his forgiveness. Instead, she went to sit in the gazebo at the corner of the yard. She needed a break from everyone.

  “Sweetheart? Sweetheart?”

  Ava’s eyes fluttered open to see Xander kneeling in front of her. She must have dozed off.

  She scowled at him when he placed his hand on her knee, and he quickly removed it.

  “You’re not a whore. Don’t ever say something so horrible.”

  “You treated me like one. I’m not one of your conquests from college. I’m your fiancée. You made me feel that way.”

  “What is going on with us? Why can’t we seem to go one day without having emotional strife?”

  “Because there are so many things going on in our lives. Liam, our wedding, my father. Maybe we should see a relationship counselor. We aren’t dealing with each other very well. Sometimes I feel we are like flame and gasoline.”

  “I think we should discuss this when we get home. This is my last night here, and I don’t want to spend it arguing with you. Dinner is ready. Come.”

  He held his hand out for her, and she took it as he led her to the table on the patio. Her whole family was enjoying the meal, but there was one absence: David.

  While Ava and Xander were eating with their family, Liam was looking into the paperwork he had found in Ava’s file cabinet.

  The drive up to Lake George was not so bad since it was Saturday afternoon. Getting a rental car had not been easy without a credit card but money talks and a bribe of two hundred dollars to the greasy haired attendant helped. Within a few minutes, he was on his way out of the city. The fake license worked perfectly when the attendant ran it. It better work, for all the money I paid for it.

  He set the GPS to the address located on the deed he found in Ava’s file. The town was busy with tourists, but the house was secluded and free of a clear view from the road. He noted that it was also far away from the nearest neighbors on either side as he drove down the long drive. He got out the small case with his lock picking tools and worked on the door; within seconds it was open.

  He whistled as he entered. The place was huge, and within the next few days, he would make sure to get the whole floor plan mapped. This place suited his purposes and would be perfect for what he had in mind. He might even stay here for a little while. He opened up the refrigerator and saw that there were only drinks, nothing perishable. It was obvious that the place was not used very much.

  Liam took a beer out of the refrigerator, Belgian - one of his favorites. Whoever bought the beer must have good taste, but then he realized it was probably the asshole. He wasn’t going to give him credit for anything. He went from room to room staking the place out. After a couple of hours writing notes and drawing maps, he went outside to the outer building.

  Liam picked the lock on the oversized shed in the corner of the yard. In it were kayaks, canoes, and rowboats along with other items. There was a large work table on one of the sides that had a small slop sink. He hit the switch on the wall and heard the hum of fluorescent lights then they popped on. He almost started to laugh out loud.

  In the corner of the shed, there were four large iron rings bolted into the wall. He had no idea what they were used for but for his purposes; they would be perfect. He searched the shelves looking for other items and found several large chains underneath the work table along with four thick steel locks that were slightly rusted. They all had their keys in the locks, and he twisted them. The locks were stiff, but he found some lubricant and sprayed them, which loosened them up.

  He located a large toolbox with many different tools. This was something he made a note to remove before he put his plan in motion. There was one small window, small enough for a child to shimmy through, but not a full-sized adult. Even so, he would make sure to screw the frame to the sill when the time came.

  As he exited the shed, he felt giddy. He spied the dock and walked out on it to the very end. He sat on one of the weathered Adirondack chairs and couldn’t help laughing. How easy they were going to make this for him. He had found the perfect location and the best part was that it was their home. By the time someone found them, they would be long dead and he would be long gone.

  He removed his boots and socks, rolled up his jeans and crossed his legs at the ankles. This was the life. Eventually, he would be enjoying this type of life in Brazil, thanks to his buddy Gorge. Gorge had been his first cellmate. He was from Brazil and had taught him Portuguese during the three years they shared a cell. He also regaled him with tales of the city he had spent his childhood in - Fortaleza. Gorge, or Little Papi as he was called, had moved back there two years ago, but he kept in touch with Liam.

  When Liam escaped, he placed a call to Little Papi letting him know he would be joining him soon. They had talked about starting a small investment firm as a front for other illegal activities. Liam had plenty of money, and he planned on spending the rest of his days in Brazil, but first he had to carry out his revenge.

  Chapter 11

  They had spent the evening making up for the day’s transgressions. Xander made love to Ava, slowly and passionately. In their post-coital bliss, he curled his naked body around hers, possessively wrapping his arm around her and tucking his hand under her breast.

  The next morning she watched as he gathered his things and placed them in his suitcase. She trudged up to the main house early, before anyone was awake, to shower and dress quickly in her bathroom to make it seem less obvious where she slept that night. Her goal was to spend as much time as possible with Xander before he left.

  She needed to have a talk with Felice to see if she was needed for very much longer, but Felice was still asleep. She loved her father, but she needed to be with Xander and to get back to work. Her uncle would understand if she needed to take extra time, but she missed New York and her cats, too.

  When the time came for Xander to leave, she clung to him, kissing him deeply.

  “Do you know when you are coming home?”

  “I’m going to talk to Felice today. If she can handle Daddy by herself, then I will be leaving no later than Wednesday.”

  “Take all the time you need, but remember if you aren’t going to be back by the weekend we will have to reschedule the appointments we have with the wedding venues.”

  “Shit, I forgot about that. I should be back by then. I want to see what they have to offer.”

  He smiled at her, but the fact that she forgot gave him pause. He wondered if she was just humoring him by looking at wedding venues.

  She walked him out to his rental car, and they kissed. He slipped his mouth to her neck and sucked the tender ivory flesh.

  “I will miss this neck and the rest of you. Please
be careful.”

  She waved to him as his car drove down the brick driveway. Ava felt the loss of Xander the minute he left for the airport. Her Uncle, Aunt, and Jacob would be the next to leave and then it would be just her. She went into the house and sat at the kitchen table while her relatives had their final breakfast in Georgia. She chatted with Jacob about a case he was working as he needed her to do some research when she got back to the office.

  At noon, they also said their goodbyes and left for the airport. She liked being around family, but sometimes her introverted nature took over where she wanted to be alone. She spent the day sitting with her father, swimming in the pool and visiting with Brooke. As dinnertime rolled around, she came back into the house. Her father was taking a nap, and David was still not home from work. She found her stepmother reading in the library and took the opportunity to speak with her.

  “Felice?”

  “Yes, honey.”

  “I was wondering how long you will need me to stay to help with Daddy?”

  “I think I will be fine. Natalia is here, and if I need help, there is always the rest of the family. I don’t want to keep you away from your work or Xander for too long.”

  “So can I leave tomorrow?”

  “Sure, I don’t see why not. I expected you to leave today with Xander and was surprised when you didn’t.”

  She got up and hugged her stepmother then ran upstairs to find a flight to leave from Atlanta the next day. Unfortunately, the earliest flight to New York was not until 1:32 PM so she would get into JFK after six. She wasn’t going to tell Xander and surprise him.

  She began packing and noticed David leaning against the door jamb.

  “You’re leaving?”

  “Yes, tomorrow. What do you care? You haven’t been very nice to me.”

  He sighed, “What do you expect from me? You flaunt your fiancé in front of my face. Is that supposed to make me happy with you?”

  “You know what, David? I never promised you anything.”

  “No, you didn’t. I’m thinking of finding my own place.”

  “Why? The pool house is practically yours.”

  “Because then I don’t have to be tortured when you come to visit.”

  She looked at him shocked, “How do you think I torture you?”

  “By you just being here. Your smell, your body, everything about you just makes me wish you were mine.”

  “I’m sorry, David. I can’t give that to you, and you knew that when we had sex.”

  “That doesn’t change anything for me. I still love you.”

  Her phone rang, Xander was calling to let her know he was home and safe. She turned her back to the door, and David left.

  That night she tossed and turned in bed. She couldn’t get the conversation with David out of her mind. Did she really torture him? Was he going to move out because he couldn’t have her? At 2:40 AM she got out of bed and went down to the library to read. It was no use trying to sleep when it wouldn’t come. She chose a book of poetry and began reading.

  David came downstairs in the dawning light. He was going for a run before he got ready for work. He noticed the light shining through the glass doors of the library and went to turn them off. Ava was sprawled out on the smooth brown leather couch. She was dressed in a powder blue satin nightgown, and her auburn hair was fanned around her face. He watched as her breasts rose and fell with her even breathing. His chest clenched with love.

  This was his chance to observe her. He leaned over the back of the couch and breathed her smell into his nostrils. He remembered the lavender smell when he made love to her. Her soft, French manicured hands were splayed across her stomach, and he reached out two fingers to stroke them. She stirred at his touch but didn’t wake.

  Her long eyelashes rested on her cheeks, and her plump red lips beckoned to him. He leaned over and gently kissed them, and still, she didn’t wake. He knew he was treading on thin ice as he reached a hand out to stroke across her nipple. She shifted, turning on her side and he quickly backed away, leaving the library. He ran back up to his room to take care of a growing problem, his morning run all but forgotten.

  Ava’s flight was uneventful though she did white knuckle the arm rest on takeoff and landing. The plane had landed several minutes earlier than expected. Luck was on her side as her bag came down the carousel first and she was able to get a cab as soon as she stepped out of the terminal. At this rate, she might be home before Xander was. He had texted her letting her know he would call her after seven because had clients after hours.

  She went to his apartment and used the keycard to let herself inside. The place was a bit messy, and she went about cleaning and putting a load of laundry in the washer. The boys greeted her, and she sat on the floor petting and holding them on her lap.

  By 9:00 PM, Ava still had not heard from Xander. She was growing a bit worried because he usually was very punctual. She got undressed and showered then slipped into his bed. At 10:45 she heard the door to the apartment open, and she waited. Several minutes later she heard a thud, then cursing. She quickly slipped on a t-shirt and ran to the living room.

  Xander was sitting down holding his shin and rocking back and forth. He reeked of alcohol, scotch. He looked startled when he saw her come out of the bedroom.

  “There’s my pretty girl,” he slurred his words. “Kiss me.”

  She wrinkled her nose, “Xander, why are you drunk and why are you on the floor?”

  “I tripped over the damn coffee table. I went out with clients, and they insisted I have a drink.”

  “How many drinks did they insist you have because I’m sure you didn’t get this way from just one.”

  “Get off my back. I can have a drink or two if I want. I work hard.”

  Ava could see he was belligerent and cranky. She went back to the bedroom and slipped under the sheets. She didn’t want to argue with him after traveling all day. If he wanted to talk to her, he would. She waited, and when he didn’t come to the bedroom, she got up again. He was lying on the floor, asleep. She could hear deep snores coming from him.

  His office keys, change, and phone, had slipped out of his pocket. She picked them up off the floor and accidentally hit the menu button on his phone. The screen lit up, and she saw the name, Katerina. Who the hell was she? Ava wasn’t a snoop but the fact that her fiancé had come home drunk and was late left her to believe that it had something to do with this woman.

  She swiped the phone, typing in his security code and pressed the text button. There were several texts back and forth with Katerina. She found a few dated a week ago when she was away. She read through them and grew angrier. A couple of texts asked him to meet her at Clancy’s, a bar located close to the office. She had said it was urgent. He had told her none of this when he came to visit her in Georgia.

  She pressed the email button but there was nothing there with Katerina’s name on it, and she wasn’t about to go through his numerous emails. She next checked his calendar and found an entry for P test for Thursday at 1:00 PM. What was a P test? Was he sick? Was this woman part of the P test?

  She wasn’t sure what she should do. She didn’t want to leave without talking to him but it was up to him to be honest. Why should she bring this up? She felt her stomach tighten and then nausea started to creep up her throat. Was Xander cheating on her?

  Even though she was upset with him, she couldn’t leave him lying on the cold wooden floor. She shook him, and he grumbled. She kept doing it until he snorted and opened his eyes.

  “You’re still here, pretty girl?”

  She frowned, “Yes, why wouldn’t I be? You need to get up; you can’t sleep on the floor.”

  “Why not?”

  “Do you want to sleep on the cold floor? Should I leave you here?”

  He pulled her, and she went sprawling on top of him. He reached for her behind and squeezed.

  “Pretty girl, you’re not wearing panties. Is that for me?”

  “Come t
o the bedroom and find out,” she said as she got up.

  She backed away, and he got to his knees, using the glass coffee table as a crutch. When he was on his feet, she helped him stumble into the bedroom. He lurched forward and sat on the corner of the bed. She got on her knees and untied his shoes. He stroked her hair as she removed them and his socks.

  “Pretty girl, I don’t like you on your knees.”

  “Why do you keep calling me that?”

  “Because, you’re my pretty girl, my love, my life.”

  She stood up and helped wrestle him out of his suit coat, then his tie and finally his shirt.

  “Can you stand up? We should take your pants off so you can get into bed.”

  “You want to get my pants off? All you had to do was ask.”

  He stood up and fumbled with his belt which Ava ended up opening along with his button and zipper. She was able to slide his pants down just before he fell back on the bed. After she had pulled his pants off, he curled into the fetal position in the middle of the bed. She was going to prod him to move, but he started to snore.

  She folded his things and draped them on the padded bench at the end of the bed. There was just enough room for her to slip into bed next to him without falling off the edge. He wrapped his arms around her, and she heard him murmur, “pretty girl.”

  The next morning Ava awoke overheated. Xander had wrapped himself around her during the night. She tried to untangle herself from him, but he held fast to her.

  “Baby? Xander?”

  When he didn’t move, she resorted to her old standby and began gently pulling at the hairs on his arm. He just shifted his arm lower down on her stomach.

  “Sweetie, I have to pee. Let me go.”

  “I don’t ever want to let you go,” he mumbled.

  “Come on; I’ll come right back.”

  He loosened his hold on her, and she slipped out of his arms. In the bathroom, she looked in the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she had dark circles under them. Her hair was an auburn mess, and she decided not to bother. When she got back to the bed, Xander had turned onto his back. He had his arm over his face.