by T. A. Grey
It took a minute after waking up to figure out where she was. Then it all came back in a flood of humiliating memories. She’d kissed him. It’d really been more of a half-kiss since he hadn’t kissed her back, but it’d been the best kiss of her life. How fucking lame was that?
She threw back the covers, made quick work of the facilities and her teeth, then climbed back into her jeans and tee before heading downstairs. She heard his deep rumbling voice and paused halfway down the stairs.
“Yeah, good. I’ll be there shortly.”
Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders ready to face the day, or, rather, Brayden. She found him in a room off the back of the living room. It was a study with warm wood colors, bookcases, and a desk. It looked a lot homelier in here than any other room in the house. Almost as if, an entirely different person designed it. His head lifted from the desk as she entered. He stood, then pointed to a chair in front of his desk.
“Sit down; we need to talk.”
O-kay. She did, even though his words made her sick to her stomach. Here’s where he’d kick her out or, better yet, tell her he’s already contacted Joseph and he’s on his way to get her right now. She squeezed her eyes shut. No, Brayden wouldn’t do that. He knew that Joseph hurt her; she’d seen the look on his face when she’d told him. Even he wouldn’t do that. Yet, when she opened her eyes back up and looked at him, she knew this couldn’t be good.
“Okay, talk.” She tried to sound business-like to keep this impersonal, but all she could do was remember the way his mouth felt pressed against hers and then all sorts of hot feelings filled her.
His voice was hard and commanding as he said, “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to stay under my protection until we get everything sorted out. I promise not to contact your cousin, Vane, your father, or any of the other Kategans, in return for your cooperation. I will try to make contact with Joseph and force his hand at the divorce. In the meantime, you’re going to take my second car. I’m sure you can drive it. You’re going to take money from me—”
At this, she started to protest, but he cut her a glare that had her slamming her lips shut.
“You will take some money and buy more than two pairs of clothes. You’re also quitting your job. I can’t have you in such an isolated place while I’m out. It’d be easy for him to make any kind of contact with you there, and I won’t have you alone when or if that happens. Got me?”
She’d never heard him talk like this, so large and in charge, almost passionately. She nodded her head. “Yeah, I guess.”
He stood, planting his palms on his desk and leaned toward her. He had to be still six or more feet away, yet suddenly she felt crowded, like he had her backed up against the wall. “You guess?”
“I-I, yes, I agree, okay? That good enough for you, vampire?” She couldn’t keep from doing an eye roll.
He shut his eyes for a moment, as if to calm down, then opened them again. “This is a very serious matter.”
“As if I need you to tell me that,” she muttered under her breath.
“And I will not have you making light of it.”
“Sure thing, Bray.”
“Excuse me?” he asked darkly.
A part of her wanted to back down, cower, but she’d done enough of that in the two years she’d lived with him. Now she tilted her chin up. “I said ‘sure thing, Bray.’ ”
Oh, shit. He stalked around the desk to her. Her heart suddenly felt like it was beating up in her throat, which would explain why she had a hard time breathing. He leaned down, his big hands wrapping around the arms of her chair, forcing her to pull hers into her lap, lest they accidently touch. She didn’t know what she might do—or he might do—if they touched now.
“That is not my name,” he said, his voice low, deep, and to her, so fucking sensual sounding, she had to squeeze her thighs together to staunch any possible flow.
“I know that.”
“You will never call me Bray again. Got me, babe?”
Her breath whooshed out of her lungs. He must have shocked the shit out of himself with that little endearment, because he flushed then quickly backed away, scrubbing his hand hard over his face. “I, I’m sorry about that. That was way out of line. I’ve just never heard anyone call me that before. I didn't like it.”
“No shit,” she said, because she still hadn’t gotten her breathing under control. A chuckle left her. He cut her a glare with those piercing eyes.
“What?” he snapped.
She laughed again, louder this time. Shit. She wrapped her hand over her mouth, but damn, the harder she tried to stop laughing the more the giggles came until her shoulders shook.
“Tell me, now.” Or else, she heard the warning in his voice.
She calmed enough to say, “Do you call everyone ‘babe’ who dares call you a nickname? What happens if Dmetri calls you ‘Bro-den’? Are you going to shove him back and call him babe?” Oh God, the picture was too hysterical and she couldn’t staunch another flow of laughter. She dared a peek at him, and the half-smile on his face made her laughter die faster than anything. “You smile.”
As soon as she said it, it died. She instantly felt like she’d seen sunlight for the first time, only to have it quickly vanish from the sky.
“Everyone smiles sometimes, Vanessa.”
Except you, she wanted to say. “I guess.”
“One more thing. You’re going to call and quit your job today, then come with me while I investigate the Clara Brunes’ case.”
Her eyebrow shot up. “Really? Do you think she was murdered or was it just an accident?”
He shook his head. “I can’t say. That’s why I’ve taken leave to look into it. I have the next three weeks off to check into the case and get some kind of answer for Vane and Sarina.”
“And you’re actually comfortable letting me tag along with you?”
He snorted. “No, but I don’t have any other choice. I’m not leaving you alone when your mate could be looking for you.”
Your mate—those words poisoned her happy glow. Yeah, she had a mate, but she hated him more than anything.
“All right, just let me know when.”
“First, you’re going to go call your boss, then I’m taking you to get some clothes. After that, I have an appointment with the lead Justicar from the Brunes’ case.” He glanced at a tall grandfather clock in the corner of the room. “In fact, call now. We gotta hit the road.”
Vanessa made the call to the coffee shop and informed Rob she was quitting. It felt like a lousy thing to do, especially since she couldn’t even finish her last two weeks. He didn’t seem surprised though and said her paycheck would be waiting at the shop for the days she worked whenever she was ready.
That done, she found Brayden at his desk again, let him know she was ready, and they set off in his SUV. He took her to Woodfield Mall, a chic and elegant looking place. Outside, the building had sleek white horizontal panels and a white horse statue out front. Her mall back home didn’t look anything like this. It wasn’t tiny, but it was just one floor and you certainly couldn’t find art or a statue of a horse out front.
It felt odd walking with Brayden inside. She didn’t clothes shop much, but she used to love it as a teenager. Then, when she’d mated Joseph, she’d never been allowed to go alone. She always had an escort of at least two guards with her. He told her it was to ensure her safety, but she knew what it was really about—to make sure she didn’t run away. And she would have, given the chance, using the hundred bucks he’d given her.
Now, it felt different. She had the tall and powerful Brayden next to her, a lead Justicar, a judge, certainly not a nobody, and he was taking her clothes shopping. Inside, the mall looked even more breathtaking. The ceiling had a unique and odd design layered between sparkling white lights in jagged shapes. It also had multiple floors, modern-looking art pieces hanging around, and a lot of chattering people walking by. She couldn’t help but smile and feel good as
she made her way toward the nearest Macy’s. She didn’t take her time, because she knew men hated shopping, especially with their woman. She paused and Brayden stopped to look at her.
“What?”
“It’s nothing,” she said and shook her head. She certainly wasn’t his woman.
She managed to grab several pairs of jeans, shirts, socks, undies and even a few cuter items like skirts and a dress in forty-five minutes. Luckily, with her body size, she knew what her size was and nearly all brand names fit her well. He paid for her stuff and she tried not to fidget, but it felt damn weird having him buy her clothes. She hardly knew the man, well, vampire, but doing such a normal activity with him felt odd.
She’d despised him for a long time, even while she had her little fantasies about him. She couldn’t help it. From the first day she met him he was her enemy, telling her to do her duty and obey her father. At least now, he was helping her. He must see that he’d been wrong then, right? She hoped so.
They went back the SUV with her big bags filled with clothes and shoved them in the backseat before taking off again. He checked the time on his dashboard clock. “Good, we won’t be late.” He pulled onto the road and they were off again. “What are your plans after you get your divorce?”
She couldn’t help but smile. For many, the word divorce triggered such unpleasant thoughts, but not for her. It’d be a blessing or a miracle if she could get one. She’d finally have her freedom. “I’m finally going to go to school.”
He sent her a surprised look. “What for?”
That look irritated her. What, he didn’t think she actually wanted to do something with her life? Well, nobody else seemed to. “I’m going to study nursing. I want to be a nurse.” Things would be different now, that’s for sure. She didn’t have any pack to go back to, especially if she got her divorce. She’d have to take a nursing job at a hospital or something. She didn’t mind. The thought of working to make her own money, of being able to take care of herself, brought euphoric warmth inside her. God, she couldn’t wait.
“I could see that.”
Now, she shot him a disbelieving look. “Really?”
He shrugged. “Sure, why not? One thing I know about the Kategans, is that when they want something, they get it and they do the job right.”
That made her smile at him. He caught it and his gaze stayed on her mouth for a second longer than necessary, just long enough to make her inside warm, and then he looked back at the road.
They pulled up in front of a small yellow house with a triangle roof squished between two others just like it. The yard out front was almost non-existent, but the small house had a cute charm about it. They got out of the SUV and walked up the stairs to the green front door, which actually looked flattering against the yellow siding. Brayden raised a fist and knocked. That’s when she realized just how nice his hands looked. As his hand fell back down at his side, her gaze followed. He had nice hands. Manly, with just a bit of dark hair on them and long fingers and short, cut nails. He had the kind of hands a woman wanted all over her body.
The door opened a minute later after some shuffling inside, and then a skinny man only a few inches taller than she answered. She inhaled and smelled the scent that could only be vampire. The scent could only be described as…sweetly coppery. Even Brayden held a ting of it, but his more natural, masculine scent pervaded over that one. The other man had thinning hair, and a salt and pepper moustache that matched the color of what hair he had left on his head.
“Brayden,” said the man.
“Daniel,” Brayden replied.
Daniel stepped to the side and ushered them into a small living area. The floors were all wood, the walls white and plain, and there was only one sofa—a black leather sectional across from a TV. The room almost looked empty. No pictures on the walls, no added decoration of any kind, unless that white throw over the couch counted. With only the sectional as furniture, they all sat on it, which put Vanessa right up against Brayden. Their thighs touched and the heat of him warmed her leg. It took some effort, but she managed to keep her eyes from studying the fitness of his leg encased in his suit pants. She’d bet they were hard and muscular, that they’d bunch and flex when he moved.
“Are you all right?” Brayden asked her.
Her wide eyes lifted to his. “What?”
“You’re flushed. You okay?” He looked so concerned, that she just nodded mutely.
Daniel sat on the L portion of the sectional, his knees bent with his elbows resting on them. “Well, let’s get on with this. I’ve got plans today.”
Brayden laid into him. That was the only way she could describe it. He nailed Daniel with question after question about the night of Mary Brunes’ death. Why wasn’t King Brunes interviewed hard? Why wasn’t anyone from the household interviewed to see if there’d been any problems in the marriage? On and on it went. The questions actually started easy and simple and Daniel answered readily. Then, Brayden asked harder, his voice giving no room for blathering lies. He’d interrupt Daniel, then make him repeat exactly what he said, even going so far as to trip Daniel up. She watched all of this with wide-eyed fascination and a bit of admiration.
Finally, Daniel snapped. “Listen; one doesn’t question the King of the lykaen community. Do you know what that man is capable of? Whom his connections are?”
At this, Brayden tensed, just a tightening of his leg against hers that Daniel couldn’t see. “Are you saying you purposely didn’t press him because of his status?”
Daniel scrubbed a hand through the back of his stringy hair, shaking his head. “I’m saying, that I’m not a dumb man. I did my job. There was water in her lungs. He said she fell in while he was below deck fixing them dinner. When he came back up, she was gone. I stand by me decision. It was a cut and dried case.”
“Yeah, well did you know she’d planned on leaving him? That he’d been pissed about that? That gives him motive, Daniel.”
Daniel’s mouth opened, then floundered closed. He shook his head raggedly. “Man, the case is over, closed. It’s been done for years. Just leave it be.”
Brayden stood and she felt awkward sitting down, so she stood, too. “Since you led the investigation, and I use that term loosely here, then you must know that the Givens family who fished her body out of the water said they saw bruising along her face. Like she’d been hit.”
Daniel grumbled then said, “Yeah, well, maybe she hit her head on the boat when she fell.”
“The bruising also wasn’t listed in her autopsy report.”
Daniel stiffened, then crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing on Brayden. “Then, I think you need to talk to the medical examiner. I had shit to do with that and you know it. Who’s to say what the Givens actually saw, anyway? It was dark when they fished her out of the water; could have been the lighting or some mud or anything else on her face and that’s why it wasn’t on her autopsy report.”
“And you, detective, also know that this could be a cover-up.”
“Oh hell, just get out of here, will you. You’re meddling in closed cold case that doesn’t need to be re-opened, Brayden.”
Brayden grabbed her hand and she tried not to get excited, but she couldn’t help it. The warmth and strength of his hand surrounded hers as he led her to the front door. He turned back at the last second. “I’ll be in touch.”
Outside, Vanessa pulled herself into the passenger seat, then turned to Brayden once he got himself inside. “Do you think he did it?”
“It’s hard to say. What I do know, is the investigation was shoddy, at best.”
“What if he did kill her?” she whispered.
He turned the engine over with a grumbling roar. “Then, I’m going to catch him.”
Chapter 6
The following day, she awoke feeling better than she had before. This time she actually recognized her surroundings. She showered and changed into one of her new outfits, a white V-cut shirt and a pair of fitted jeans which clung all th
e way down to her ankles. She found herself fluffing out her wavy hair and taking care to make sure she looked fine before she headed downstairs.
Brayden was nowhere to be found so she made herself a quick sandwich and scarfed it down. Belly full, she made her way around his house. She still hadn’t gotten a chance to see the entire place—and her curious side really wanted to see what kinds of things Brayden the Justicar vampire liked.
As she wondered through the house touching his vases and little black statues of horses and figures of men and women, she thought about the kiss they’d shared. Everything had been perfect, better than she could have hoped it to be, until he’d ordered her to get off him. But damn, did he have a nice mouth. She wanted to spend time there, to bite and lick him until his taste was as familiar to her as her own. Not that he’d let her do that.
Get off me, Vanessa.
Right; utter humiliation. At least, they both seemed to have a silent understanding that neither one of them would talk about that kiss. Nope, it has been swept under the rug. He hadn’t brought it up, and she sure wasn’t going to. He either hadn’t like it, even though it’d made her body wet, and burn, or he just thought so little of her, he didn’t want to be kissing her. God, she didn’t know which was worse. The latter, probably.
She still hadn’t seen him around the house. She made her way into his study and found it empty. She took her time browsing his bookshelf, finding an assortment of classics from Hemingway to Plato. At the far end of the bookcase, in the corner of the room, she found something special though. Two whole shelves lined with first editions of, of all things, Arthurian knight tales. From Le Morte d’Arthur, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, to Tristan and Isolde, and many more.
Le Morte d’Arthur caught her attention first. There were three books, each lined in order with the number one, two, and three on it. The covers were white with gold engraving on the spine with a lovely leafy design that went under the title down to the bottom. It looked expensive and it was probably worth more than she could dream, so she gently put the book back. She didn’t breathe easy until the book rested neatly back against its brothers.