by Karin Tabke
“How about your boyfriend’s job?”
“What are you talking about?”
“ A little birdie told me your cop is chin deep investigating me for corporate espionage.”
“If you’re referring to Captain West, he never was nor currently is my boyfriend.”
“So you’re just fuck buddies?”
His words cut her to the quick.
“Considering how we met, we were destined for nothing more than sex, Evan. Another chapter in my life closed.”
He shook his head tsk tsking. “Poor Katrina Winslow, always picking men who exploit her.”
“Fuck you.”
“I’d happily fuck you. That was one thing I never lied to you about, Katy. Even though I couldn’t get you off, you were a good lay.”
Katy turned vicious eyes on him. “You were never man enough to get me off, Evan.”
“But that cop was?”
“You were there, you tell me.”
“Oh, I remember vividly. In fact, I replay that moment in time over and over.” He laughed low, the sound mirthless. “You do know your knight in shining armor wasn’t at the symposium hotel by accident?”
She moved into his space. Was she the only person on earth who hadn’t known Simon was using her? “What did I ever do to you that was so horrible you insist on hurting me?”
His face tightened, his hazel eyes sharpened. “Do you have any idea how it felt taking a back seat to the renowned Dr. Winslow? I’ve put in twice the lab time that you have and have nothing to show for it. You waltz in and in less than four years revolutionize code sequencing.”
“So it’s my fault you’re a failure?”
“Hardly. You’re the one who’s a laughing-stock with no lab.”
Katy shrugged it off. She was a duck now. Given Simon’s apparent betrayal, nothing could hurt her now. It was all just running off her back. “Go away Evan.”
“I’ll go away when you tell me what your fuck buddy has on me and Genomtec.”
“Even if we were still fuck buddies, he’s never discussed his case with me and you are the last person on earth I’d do a favor for.”
“You don’t need his permission. Find a way back into his bed and dig through his phone and his computer.”
“No.”
Evan pulled out his cell phone and moved to the nearest corner. “Remember our little game of truth or dare? That was no accident either. I saw the way you and that cop ogled each other in the bar. It also occurred to me that your usefulness was coming to an end but I’m a visionary, Katy, I looked ahead. I needed some insurance.” He tapped the screen. “My little policy.” He tapped the screen a second time and there in living color was her getting fucked from behind by Simon in her hotel room, while Evan watched. Her skin chilled when she heard Simon’s deep voice say, “Sweetheart, you’re so damn tight and wet, let me set the pace or I’m going to explode.” Jaw agape; she continued to watch as she came hard.
Evan tapped the screen shutting down the video. “It’s rather simple, Katy, get me the information, otherwise this is going viral, and when it does, I promise you, your boyfriend’s superiors will be the first to see it, and what comes after that will be entirely your fault.”
Simon would lose his job! His identity. What he loved more than life itself.
Furious, humiliated, livid, she snatched the phone from his hand and threw it against the wall where it shattered into pieces. Evan grabbed her and shoved her hard into the corner. “You stupid little cunt. Do you think I didn’t back it up?”
“I despise you.” She blinked back hot tears of anger. How dare he blackmail her? How did she not know he was recording them? God, she hated herself for being so blindly naïve.
“Is everything okay here?” one of the trainers asked, grasping Evan’s shoulder.
“Yes, Tony,” Katy softly said, turning her head away from both men. As much as she’d like to see Evan tossed out on his ass, she didn’t want to make a scene. Not yet. Swiping her hand across her eyes she looked back at Tony and nodded. “I’m good.”
“I’m right here, Dr. Winslow, if you need assistance.”
“Thank you,” she breathed as Evan released her and backed up.
“I’ll be at the Opera House fundraiser this Saturday night. I want the information on a flash drive.”
“What if he has nothing on his phone or personal computer?”
“Get me what he does have and I’ll be the judge of what I can use. If you fail to deliver, the video goes live at midnight.” He strode past her, leaving her standing numb and alone.
It took a supreme amount of effort to move.
In a stupor, Katy walked home. She was sucked dry. As she rounded the last corner to her apartment, she shivered and had that uneasy feeling again that she was being followed. But when she turned around, the sidewalk was clear except for the little old lady who walked her Scotty every day at this time.
She turned her cell on and as soon as it booted it alerted her she had two missed calls and several texts. Only Simon, Rosie and Veronica had her number.
The first text was from Simon two hours ago. Don’t forget to pack your bags.
The second text was from Rosie asking how she was.
The third text was from Simon an hour ago. Dinner?
Then thirty minutes after that, 86 that.
Then, Answer your phone plz.
Then Kat, I call, you answer!
God he was a control freak! But that sparked a plan in Katy’s head. It was a do or die plan, but if executed properly she would have the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And along with the truth from Simon, whatever it was, she wanted Simon’s job protected because he was good at what he did and people would benefit from him staying a cop. But just as important, the truth would set her free—free from Evan, Genomtec, and yes, Simon. Then she could rebuild her life completely on her terms.
She called him.
He answered on the first ring. “Where the hell have you been?” he gruffly demanded. “I’ve been worried sick.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet of you, Simon,” she purred. “I’ve been at the gym.”
He exhaled loudly. “Sorry, it’s just with everything going on, I’m worried about you.”
“Oh, Simon, you don’t need to worry about me, I’m going to be just fine.”
“You’re already fine” he huskily said.
Katy’s heart tightened. “When do you think you’ll get out of there?”
“By seven, and I’m hungry now.”
“Me too. Famished actually.”
“I’ll take you to Milano’s.”
“Hmm, I’d rather eat in.”
“Then I’ll call an order in and pick it up on my way home.”
Home. Her heart constricted. He’d said home. A man who didn’t have an emotional connection to her would not have used that word.
“That sounds perfect, Simon, I can’t wait for you to get home.”
“Me either.”
When Katy hung up she smiled but didn’t feel particularly funny. But she set her emotions aside. She was going to get to the bottom of Simon’s motives and at the same time save them both a world of future hurt. This princess was going to save herself and her prince charming at the same time. Even if her prince might turn out to be the villain in the end.
n hour later, Katy was showered, dressed, and standing in her bathroom applying lip liner then gloss to her full lips. She was dressed in the exact outfit she’d been wearing that infamous day she bumped into Simon coming out of the elevator. Even her hair was pinned up the same way, same glasses, and beneath her basic beige uniform of sweater and pencil skirt, she wore the same pink bra and panties she had worn that day.
There was only one thing that hinted at the tigress that smoldered beneath her bland exterior. Her red hot lips to match the soles of her four-inch, black, peekaboo Louboutins.
Checking her ass out in the mirror as she turned to one side then another, she smiled. Despi
te the boring color of her skirt, it was couture and clung to her curves. In the heels, she pretty much rocked it.
Flicking off the light switch, she strode to her kitchen, pulled one of the oak chairs from the table, and dragged it to the middle of the room. Humming, she poured herself a glass of the merlot she had opened and allowed to breathe before she’d hopped in the shower. She decided some mood music would be good to go with her wine.
Just as she selected a smooth jazz station, the front door buzzed. She smiled and sauntered to the front door and pressed the button, “Yes?”
“It’s me, Cinderella.”
Her heart thumped and her belly did a slow nervous roll. “Front door’s open.”
She buzzed him in and cracked the front door to her apartment. Moving back to the kitchen, she took out a bottle of room temperature Guinness, just the way he liked it, and opened it with the bottle opener. She set it down on the table for Simon.
The sound of the door closing then the deadbolts being turned alerted her to Simon’s presence. Warmth skirted along her limbs. Inhaling deeply, she slowly exhaled. When she turned to see him entering the kitchen she smiled a greeting and watched his brows rise as his gaze swept her attire. He was dressed in a dashing black suit, crisp white shirt and black tie.
His lips cracked into a slow smile. He set down the delicious smelling brown bag he was carrying on the counter, then loosened his tie. “You were wearing that the first time I met you.”
Handing him the beer, she smiled and reached up to his tie and slowly untied it. “Tonight we celebrate, Simon. Who knew that day we bumped into each other outside of that elevator we’d be such—fast friends.”
He took a long draught of his beer. When he pulled the bottle from his lips he smiled down at her, wrapping a strong arm around her waist. “Destiny.”
“You really think so?” she asked, backing out of his embrace. Reaching for her wine, she took a thoughtful sip and cocked her head to the side as she watched him watch her.
His brows drew slightly together. “What’s going on in that head of yours, Kat?”
Taking another sip of her wine she set it down on the counter. “Do you trust me, Simon?”
“I think you know the answer to that.”
“A simple yes or no, please.”
“Yes.”
“Then I’d like you to sit down here,” she patted the seat of the chair sitting in the middle of the room. “Take your jacket off first, please.”
He tipped the beer back and drained it. Setting the empty bottle down on the counter he shrugged off his jacket exposing his shoulder holster. “You can put that on the counter.” Warily he watched her as he unsnapped it then slid it off and set it on top of the jacket.
“Do you have handcuffs?” she casually asked.
He reached behind his back and unsnapped the small leather pouch on his belt then handed them to her. A small smile twitched at the corner of his lips. If he thought she was playing, he was in for a big surprise. Extending her hand toward the seat like Vanna did with the letters, Katy invited Simon to sit.
“Please put your hands behind you, around the chair back, please.”
“Kat?”
She cocked a brow and put a hand on her hip. “You said you trust me. So trust me.”
Exhaling, he did as she asked.
When he did, she moved behind him and slid his loose tie from around his shirt collar. “I’m going to tie your hands to the chair back, Simon, and you’re going to let me.”
“Baby, you do whatever you want to me,” he easily said, a laugh in his voice. Hmm, he wouldn’t be so amused in a minute.
“Thank you, I hope you don’t regret that invitation.”
Once she had the tie snuggly tied around his hands, she took his handcuffs and as she had seen cops do on television she cracked them open around his wrists, then secured them before he’d registered what she was doing.
“No cuffs, Kat,” he firmly said.
“I’m sorry, Captain West,” she said leaning over his shoulder from behind, “But that option is off the table.”
“I don’t like this.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir but sometimes we have to endure things we don’t like.”
He twisted in the chair to look at her and raised a quizzical brow. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re pissed at me right now.”
She smiled like the Grinch just before he stole Cindy Lou Who’s Christmas. “You would be correct in that assumption.”
He exhaled and shook his head. “What did I do now?”
She moved past him and picked up the black silk scarf she had put on the table earlier. Gently she wrapped it around his head covering his eyes. But when she tied it she was less considerate.
“All I have to do is stand and crack this chair in half, Kat, and your little party is over.”
“If you do, you will prove to me you don’t trust me.” She took two more scarves and tied one around each of his ankles then securely around the chair legs.
“Why are you angry at me?”
Standing, she leaned down and began to unbutton his shirt. His sharp hiss of breath jolted straight to her core. As she slid it back and over his shoulders exposing his very fine, very muscular chest she resisted the urge to lick every exposed inch. “You are a magnificent specimen, Simon,” she murmured half to herself. “I can see why women jump off bridges when you say, good bye.”
“No one has jumped off a bridge.”
“Amanda jumped off the mental bridge. Who knows how many others followed her?”
“Amanda has nothing to do with us, Kat.”
“Do you know the first time I bumped into you, I had to go back to my room and change my panties?”
He grinned. “So did I.”
“Did you really?”
“Then I jerked off.”
“Oh, my.” The vision of him standing naked in front of a mirror with his big hand wrapped around his bigger cock, stroking it madly as he thought of her sent shock waves to her core. Resolute with her mission, Katy didn’t let his words or her imagination blow her off course.
Tracing her finger down his chest to his belly button she undid his belt, unbuttoned the top button of his slacks, and then slowly palmed him. He was very hard.
“Speaking of people we don’t want to talk about, I bumped into Evan at the gym today.”
Simon’s big body jerked hard against the cuffs moving the chair. “What did he want? Did he touch you or hurt you? Why didn’t you call me? And damn it, why did you go to the gym? You should have come back here directly after your appointment with Veronica.”
“He did put his hands on me when I broke his cell phone, but Tony, one of the trainers made sure he didn’t hurt me.”
Simon’s face turned a murderous shade of red. “I’m going to kill that mother fucker.” He twisted, trying to free himself.
“He showed me a video, Simon. Of the three of us.”
He stilled. “Uncuff me,” he said, dangerously. She almost did given his tone was so menacing.
“Give me a minute.”
“Now, damn it!”
“Hear me out first.”
“Did he threaten you with that video?”
Katy nodded then realized he couldn’t see her expression because of the blindfold. “He’s holding it over my head threatening to show it to the world if I don’t give him what he wants.”
“Which is?”
“You.”
“Fuck that!”
“He wants me to find out what you have on him and Genomtec. He’s given me until midnight Saturday to give him that information or he’s going viral with the video, first stop, your superiors.”
Simon laughed. “He’s blackmailing you with the video and the threat of me losing my job?”
“Yes.”
“What did you tell him?”
“To shove it.”
Simon grinned. “That’s my girl.”
“Now that we have that out
of the way, I want to know why you were in San Diego?”
“What?”
“Why were you in San Diego and at the same hotel as me the day we met?”
He swallowed hard when she traced a finger along his pulsing jugular. “I was there to be briefed on an operation.”
“What operation?”
“The sting operation I was working on.”
“Tell me about it.”
“The details are classified, Kat, but you know the gist of it.”
“Tell me the gist again.”
She leaned across his shoulder rubbing her breast against his cheek. He turned, trying to capture it with his mouth just as she moved away.
“Corporate espionage.”
“And what were you tasked with?”
“Heading up the Nor Cal division.”
“Hmm, and what did that entail?”
“Beefing up our investigation.”
“Which meant?”
“Putting men on the principles, digging harder for information.”
“Sounds cloak and dagger.”
She slid a finger along the straining zipper. As she slowly pulled it down she asked, “What’s a principle?”
Simon sucked in a breath when she slid his underwear down exposing his luscious cock. Pushing his knees apart, she blew on it.
“Christ, Kat,” he groaned, jutting his hips into the air.
She flicked the tip of his swollen head with her tongue. “Answer the question.”
“It’s a primary person of interest.”
She licked a long swath from his base to just below the head. “Were any of your principles in the hotel during the time you were there?”
She wrapped her hand around his thick rod. His pulse vibrated through her.
“Yes, damn it,” he hoarsely said.
With his cock in her hand she leaned into him and whispered in his ear. “Anyone I know?”
“Damn it, one of the task force guys was assigned to get up close and personal with you.”
“Not you?”
“No, but after we bumped into each other and I realized who you were, I knew I had to be that guy.”
“Ah,” she purred as she stroked him tightening her fingers around him. So tight he was turning purple. Simon set his jaw, his body straining under the tension of interrogation and manipulation.