Dirty Tactics

by Peyton Banks

  “What should I do more of?” he asked casually, reviewing the menu. He wasn’t sure what he had a taste for. The food that came out of Lucarelli’s kitchen was prepped as ordered and it was the freshest Italian food anyone could ask for. It had history. Sergio was the third generation to own and run the sought-after restaurant. Everything was made from scratch, and that was why the restaurant was popular with a long wait list.

  “Laugh.”

  Chapter 13

  His gaze flew to Sarena over the menu. She had a soft smile on her lips as she stared across the table. The candlelight highlighted her beauty in the dark restaurant. The atmosphere of Lucarelli’s screamed romance and love. Deep down, he knew he wanted to continue showering her with all the things she deserved.

  He hadn’t thought he would be able to experience these feeling anymore. His little nurse was burrowing into his heart.

  “Really?” He cocked an eyebrow at her.

  “I love when you smile and laugh. I find it sexy.” She tilted her head to the side, waiting for his response.

  “Is that an order?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Desire slammed into his chest for the woman who returned his heated gaze. He reached for his water and took a sip, needing to clear his throat that suddenly went dry. The need to please her was apparent in his chest. He didn’t know what it was about Sarena, but he wanted her. Not just for a few steamed-filled, passionate nights, but forever.

  The thought had the air escaping his lungs.

  Forever with Sarena?

  She was a woman that any man would be a fool to pass up.

  “Sergeant MacArthur!” a strong voice called out.

  Mac turned and found Sergio, the owner of Lucarelli’s, headed his way.

  “Excuse me,” he murmured and stood from the table. “Sergio.”

  Sergio arrived and engulfed Mac in a tight, manly hug with a few pats to the back.

  “I’d thought you would never stop by my establishment.” Sergio laughed. He was a large, burly Italian gentleman, who lit up the room with his laugh.

  Mac smiled and shook the restaurant owner’s hand. “Well, I have an excuse now.” He nodded to Sarena.

  Sergio’s eyes lit up as his attention landed on Sarena. “What a beautiful excuse. Please let me introduce myself.”

  Mac shook his head. Sergio took Sarena’s hand in his and pressed a kiss to the back of it. She giggled, introducing herself.

  “I’m Sarena.” She smiled. “It’s so nice to meet you. I love your restaurant.”

  “I have been trying to get Sergeant MacArthur and his men to come enjoy Lucarelli’s.” Sergio turned to Mac and laid a hand on his shoulder.

  Mac knew the older man wanted to offer his gratitude for them saving his daughter, but Mac never felt right about cashing in on something that was his job.

  “Your meal is on the house.”

  “Oh, we couldn’t—” Mac tried to object, but Sergio cut him off with a squeeze of his hand on Mac’s shoulder.

  His eyes met Mac’s, and he knew when to shut up. The elder man’s eyes were locked on him, and Mac got the silent message. Mac had prevented him from having to bury his only daughter. The night they had first met, Sergio was haunted with the possibility that his daughter would die at the hands of her coked-out boyfriend. It had been Mac who’d carried Bella out of the house and placed her into the waiting hands of her father.

  “Your money is no good here, Sergeant. I mean it. Enjoy the wine and meal with your beautiful lady.”

  Mac jerked his head and gripped Sergio’s hand in another firm shake again.

  “Thank you.” He patted Sergio on the back before settling down in his seat as the owner walked away.

  “That’s so nice of him,” Sarena murmured.

  “It is,” he replied.

  Their food arrived even without them ordering yet. He shook his head with a small smile.

  Sergio.

  They enjoyed their meal and conversation about the action movie they had seen before dinner. Sarena’s face was animated, and she argued about the relationship between the hero and the woman he rescued.

  “He did it because he loved her,” she scoffed.

  “So after two dates, he knew that she was the one? To go off, guns blazing across the world to save her?” He cocked an eyebrow.

  The movie had been about a cop who was going against all odds to rescue a woman he had just met and slept with once. He snorted then took a sip from his wineglass.

  “There is something called instalove.” Sarena shook her fork at him then dove into her plate.

  He loved that she wasn’t ashamed to eat. He was tired of women only wanting salads and picking over their food. He wanted a woman with curves and who could enjoy a real meal with him. He was a large man and loved how Sarena fit against him.

  They fit like two puzzle pieces that were meant to go together. Her softness was a direct contrast to his hardness. Just thinking of her soft curves was causing his cock to awaken. He had to will it to settle down.

  “So, how does this instalove thing work?”

  She paused before putting her food in her mouth and rolled her eyes with a shake of her head. “Men,” she muttered.

  “What is that supposed to mean? I’m just asking a question—”

  The muffled sound of a phone ringing cut him off. Sarena reached down into her purse. Her eyes narrowed on her phone as she glanced at the screen.

  Alarms went off in the back of his mind, and he watched her answer.

  “Hello?” she said. Her gaze flew to him, and his muscles tensed. “This is she.”

  She paused and listened to whoever was on the line. Her eyes widened.

  “Who is it?” he snapped, not liking the fear appear in her eyes.

  “No, I’m not home. Go ahead. I’ll be right there.” She hung up.

  “Who was that?” he repeated, trying to keep the growl from escaping.

  “My alarm company. My house alarm was tripped.”

  “Let’s go.”

  Sarena didn’t wait for Marcas to come and open her door to his truck. Her heart slammed against her chest while she replayed the brief conversation in her head from the alarm company.

  “Sarena, wait!” His growl echoed behind her as she hopped down from the truck.

  She slammed the door and paused, taking a deep breath.

  The sight that greeted her left her stomach feeling uneasy. Two police patrol cars were parked in her driveway and street. Their blue and red lights lit up the road. A few neighbors stood on their porches, observing the scene.

  Marcas arrived at her side and gripped her to him. “Let me go over and talk with them,” he murmured against her head.

  “No. It’s my house. I want to come, too.” She flicked her eyes to his. “I’m sure it was nothing. The alarm probably scared off whoever tried to get in.”

  The explanation left a bad taste in her mouth. She prayed that she was right. Their neighborhood was a safe one with little crime. It was one of the few neighborhoods that Harden had given his approval of when she’d bought the house.

  “Come on.” Marcas linked their fingers together and tugged her behind him. They walked across the yard. He pulled his wallet out from behind him and brandished his badge upon approaching the officers as they came out the front door of her home. “Good evening, Officers.”

  “Sergeant, how are you?” The first one down the stairs met them in the driveway.

  Sarena stayed close to Marcas while they introduced themselves. Officers Ross and Sampson were two of the cops who’d responded to the call. They both looked to Marcas with respect when he asked questions. She guessed he outranked them and they wouldn’t have a choice. She took notice of the way the officers glanced at her, then down at their entwined fingers.

  There was surprise in their eyes, and she bit her lip to keep from saying something inappropriate. She knew instantly what was going through their minds.

  “The first floor was ra
nsacked. They didn’t get much done, thanks to the alarm system,” Officer Ross announced, grabbing her attention.

  She gripped Marcas’s hand tight in hers. She felt sick to think that someone had violated her privacy and entered her home when she was gone.

  “Can I go in?” she asked.

  “Please do. We would like to know if anything is missing.” Officer Sampson waved her and Marcas toward the house.

  They walked toward the porch with the officers following them.

  “We believe they entered through the back door and exited through the front door.”

  Sarena gripped Marcas’s arm as they entered through her front door. She took in her overturned furniture, and her stomach lurched. Not much damage. She walked through the home, taking notice that nothing was missing. All of her electronics were still present. It was like they’d just come in the house and overturned everything.

  She was thankful Marcas was with her. He remained calm leading her through the entire house. The second floor remained untouched, just the way she had left it. She bit back a sigh of relief moving back toward Marcas who stood at her bedroom door, silently watching while she had walked around it. She could almost feel the anger brimming in him. His facial expression alone would cause a weaker man to fall to the ground. When her eyes met his, they softened as she made it to his side.

  “Are you all right?” he murmured, pulling her into his arms.

  She leaned her head against his chest, comforted by his sheer presence. “Yeah. I just feel violated right now. Someone went through my house. My personal space.” She fought back tears, shifting her head back to look up at him.

  “Ma’am, can you tell if anything is missing?” Officer Ross questioned, jogging up the stairs.

  She turned toward him but didn’t move from Marcas’s comforting embrace.

  “No. I can’t find anything that is missing. All jewelry is accounted for, my electronics are here. I don’t get this. Why break in if you are not going to take anything?” she questioned.

  “If you don’t mind, we can have you go down to the station for a statement,” Officer Ross said.

  “No, she will not be going down to the station. She can give her statement here,” Marcas interjected.

  She felt his muscles tense. Her gaze flew up to his face, and she caught the glare he threw toward the officer.

  “Yes, sir.” Officer Ross nodded. “Have you noticed anything strange lately around your house or the neighborhood?”

  “No, not really.” She shook her head.

  “Yes. Just earlier today someone stopped by her home this morning,” Marcas mentioned.

  She had put that event behind her.

  “Really? What happened?” Officer Ross pulled out a notepad and pen. He looked to them, waiting for them to continue.

  “I’m sorry. I had already forgotten about that. A gentleman pulled into my driveway this morning when I was returning from my run. He was just looking for another house and had the wrong address. I gave him directions. That was it.” She shook her head, not seeing how this could be remotely related.

  “Can you describe him, his car, or know the license plate?” Officer Ross asked.

  “He introduced himself as Silas. White male, early forties, brown hair, brown eyes, tiny scar on his chin. Tattoo on the side of his neck. I was unable to make it out, the collar of his shirt covered it. He drove a black Audi A7, license plate RGH7483.”

  She slowly turned back to Marcas, shocked that in that little time, he had memorized that information about Silas. Officer Ross wrote all of the details down on his pad.

  “This will help. We’ll look into the car and see if we can make anything of it. In the meanwhile, ma’am, you are going to have to get a new lock for the back door—”

  “She’ll be taken care of,” Marcas cut him off, motioning for them to go downstairs. He entwined their fingers together, and they followed Officer Ross toward the front door.

  Sarena allowed Marcas to see the officers out while she walked around the living room again, feeling violated. An uncomfortable feeling crept over her at the thought of whoever had been in her house. She righted one of the chairs, trying to keep the tears from falling. At the moment, she didn’t feel comfortable staying in her own house. She’d have to call her parents and tell them. She knew her father would demand her to come stay with them.

  She brushed the first tear that made it down her cheek. She cursed, not wanting to appear weak, but this scared her. What if she’d been home alone and someone broke in? There was no telling how long it would take the police to arrive.

  “They’re gone,” Marcas announced, walking into the living room. He stalked across and gathered her to him.

  “I’m usually not a crybaby,” she sniffled, another tear falling.

  She bit back a sob as he guided her head to his chest. He murmured words of encouragement, then the gates blew. Sobs racked her body, and she held on to him. His strong hand rubbed circles on her back to comfort her. A few minutes later, her cries quieted, and she tried to regain her composure. She pulled back from Marcas and wiped her face. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize.” He tipped her chin back. His fingers brushed away the missed tears from her cheeks. His dark eyes locked on her. “I want you to stay with me tonight.”

  “I can’t—”

  “This is not up for discussion. You shouldn’t be alone. We’ll close up the back door as best as we can and call a locksmith in the morning.”

  His face was stern, and Sarena knew she shouldn’t but there was no way she was going to argue with Marcas MacArthur. This was one argument she wouldn’t win.

  “Now, go pack a bag while I go take care of the back door.”

  She nodded. Not wanting to be alone after something like this, she’d stay with him and in the morning figure out her next move.

  Chapter 14

  Mac tucked the covers around a sleeping and very naked Sarena. He paused as she snuggled down into his plush pillows. After they had arrived at his home, they had showered together and fallen into his bed. Sarena needed him, and he was all too willing to meet her every sexual need. She didn’t even have to ask, but he knew she needed a distraction from the break-in.

  Their lovemaking was urgent, almost desperate. Her body called to his, and he took his time wringing every orgasm from her, leaving her in a deep slumber.

  He stared at her sleeping form and gently brushed her dark hair from her face. It had about torn him apart to see the fear in her eyes when she’d walked through her home. If he were ever to get his hands on the person who had brought fear into her eyes, they would no longer breathe. He laid a kiss on her forehead then slid from beneath the covers, grabbing a pair of pajama pants and sliding them on. He picked up his phone and dialed Declan’s number.

  It didn’t matter that it was the middle of the night, he would answer.

  “Yeah,” Declan growled into the phone.

  Mac stepped out of the bedroom. He didn’t want to disturb Sarena. After the night she’d just had, she needed to get some rest.

  “I need a favor,” he began. Greetings weren’t needed between them. At this time of night, he knew his friend would know that this was important.

  “Anything.”

  “I need you to reach out to your contact with the Gang Unit.” He kept his voice low, walking down the stairs. He didn’t want to chance Sarena waking and hearing his conversation. He didn’t want to worry her with what he had found in her house.

  “What is this about?” Declan went on instant alert.

  Mac explained what had happened with Sarena’s house. He stepped into his kitchen. Moonlight flowed in through the windows, giving enough illumination for him to make his way to the refrigerator. He flicked his eyes to the time on the microwave and found it a little after two in the morning. He grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and leaned against his sink to open the bottle.

  “Why would I need to contact the Gang Unit? We can let
the regular patrol officers handle a break-in.”

  “The Demon Lords tagged her house.”

  Declan released a curse at Mac’s announcement. They both knew that the Demon Lords was one of the most violent criminal gangs in South Carolina.

  “What connection does she have to them?” Declan asked.

  “Not a one.” Mac took a swig, but he knew the answer.

  It wasn’t her, it was him.

  SWAT had been called this year to help the Gang Unit with a few busts. The Gang Unit was a small group that was run out of the county’s sheriff’s department and was developed to investigate all gang-related crimes that were committed by criminal street gangs.

  Declan usually coordinated the SWAT team’s assignments with the Gang Unit and had grown the relationship with their department and the sheriff’s. A couple of times a year, SWAT jumped in to assist the Gang Unit.

  Certain gangs were deemed extremely dangerous and required the assistance of a trained team such as SWAT to be involved.

  Yeah, the Demon Lords were at the top of the most dangerous criminal gang list in all of South Carolina all right.

  Earlier that year, with the help of Mac and his team, the Gang Unit was able to seize a sizable amount of weapons and narcotics that cost the Demon Lords a considerable amount of money. Mac remembered that raid as if it were yesterday. It was a carefully calculated assignment that went to Hell and back fast. Five police officers were shot that night, two being members of his SWAT team. There were countless injured gang members with a few fatalities.

  When he’d been helping Sarena clean up, he’d caught sight of a graffiti tag underneath her coffee table that signified the Demon Lords. Someone had taken the few minutes to carve out their insignia there.

  When he’d gone out the back to assess the damage to the door, he’d spotted another Demon Lords logo engraved into the wooden jamb. After spotting it, he’d checked the front door and saw the same tag on the upper portion of the heavy oak.